sandy bus tours

503-668-3466

ODOT's TripCheck 

/ The mobile and web-friendly software will have all the features you currently enjoy including bus location, estima ted time of arrival and stop information. In addition, riders will be able to set up customized alerts. Please visit  https://passiogo.com/  or download the app (available for iPhon e and Android) to learn more.

MHX  updates

Welcome to Mt. Hood!

The Mt. Hood Express transit is a public bus service administered by Clackamas County and serves the communities along  Highway 26,  running from the city of Sandy east to Government Camp and Timberline.

The Express : Operates 7 days a week as a limited stop commuter service between the City of Sandy and Timberline. Seasonal service features include bike trailers and ski boxes for the convenience of riders to stow their equipment. The Express does not operate on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day.

Villages Shuttle: Operates 7 days a week as a deviated fixed route for local service between Sandy and Rhododendron. The Villages Shuttle does not operate on New Years Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

One-way fare is $2

All-day pass is $5 and includes the Sandy Area Metro (SAM) buses that run between the TriMet Gresham Central MAX station and the Sandy Transit Center.

Find your bus here 

Trip Planner

Coming from the Portland area?

With one ticket you can reach beautiful Mount Hood by taking SAM from the Gresham Transit Center to the Sandy Transit Center. At the Sandy Transit Center board the Mt Hood Express and up to the mountain you go.

For more trip planning information visit   City of Sandy ,  Google Transit Trip Planner , or  Trimet .

For information about our area visit  mt. hood territory   or   clackamas county ., for local weather and road conditions, visit odot's trip check ..

Mt Hood Express Information: 503-668-3466

For ADA requests and reasonable accommodation please contact: 

City of Sandy Transit Operations 503-668-3466

Managed by Clackamas County Social Services

Please contact us directly with any complaints or concerns, including discrimination of any form

PO BOX 2950, Oregon City, OR 97045

503-655-8640

TTY Services: (503) 650-5646

The Mt. Hood Express Respects Civil Rights 

CCSD ADA Plan     Reasonable Modification Policy    

Clackamas County ADA Complaint Form      CCSSD Title VI Plan          

• Copper Canyon
• Veracruz Yanga
• Mexico City Gallerie
• Copper Canyon Gallerie
• Oaxaca Gallerie
• Chiapas Maya Expedition
• Guadalajara Expedition 20
• Morelia Monarch Exp.
• Marrakesh, Morocco

Welcome to Sandy's Travels.

 We are thrilled that you have found us. Now, enjoy learning about the exciting tours we  have scheduled for you! 

Life is short, travel more!

Sandy's destinations

Oaxaca Dia de Muertos

 The Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) on Nov. 2 is one of Mexico’s most important holidays, a day when family and friends gather in remembrance of deceased loved ones. Oaxaca’s celebrations are legendary, with parades, parties, themed decorations, and festive foods in abundance.  We will participate in a genuine  Zapoteca home Celebration Dia de Muertos where we will share, food, mezcal, music and  hundreds of years’ tradition and rituals. 

Copper Canyon Raramuri

A journey through Copper Canyon is one of the most rewarding journeys you can take in Mexico. The train ride itself is remarkable, the scenery is amazing, and the whole experience will become a lifetime memory for you and those traveling with you. This guide will give you an insight into what the Copper Canyon can offer and, hopefully, entice you to take this wonderful journey one day soon.

Morelia Monarchs

Our base camp will be in the historic heart of the city of  Morelia, surrounded by major tourist attractions, just two blocks from the Old Conservatory and Rose Garden, Headstock Palace, Market candy and crafts, and other cultural centers, art and film emblematic of the city; From there we will explore the Monarch Butterfly Federal Sanctuaries in Michoacan  

San Cristobal de Las Casas

 The pedestrian-friendly cobblestoned streets  and pastel dwellings laid out onto this mountain setting further add to San Cristobal de las  Casas charm. It’s a fantastic hub for our expedition to base ourselves for further explorations  and activities to do all throughout the south east of Chiapas visiting as far as Guatemala’s  border line town 

 Veracruz is the place where we will explore the Slave Route , visiting haciendas, museums and learning about all the great contributions of 1 brave slaved African Prince that wore able raised up against Spaniards.   We  are going to explored La Tercera Raiz Mexicana , all their histories, art, music, food and spirits, all of them preserved from generation to generation till the present days. . 

CALENDAR 2023/24

Calendar 2022, travel safe during covid-19, what you can expect during your visit.

• Face masks required for travelers in public areas
• Face masks required for guides in public areas
• Gear/equipment sanitized between use
• Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
• Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
• Social distancing enforced throughout experience 

Covid 2021 Oaxaca

Safety first!

What is Traveling like with covid?

 Oaxaca Dia de Muerto Expedition 2020

Covid Precautions

Copper Canyon 2020

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PO Box 969, Fremont, NE 68026

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Testimonials

“Our Tour Director was amazing. She was very organized and informative and kept us involved. We saw lots in a short amount of time. It was a great trip!” (Georgia and the Carolinas Spring, 2024) – Denise, Omaha, NE

“This was by far the best tour ever! Our Tour Director and Driver were excellent and loved how they worked together!” (Georgia and the Carolinas Spring, 2024) – Donna & Pat, Indianola, IA

“Enjoyed the trip. Excellent Tour Director and Driver. Hope to travel with you again!” (Georgia and the Carolinas Spring, 2024) – Keith and RoJene, O’Neill, NE

“We have been on previous tours but this was by far the best one!” (Total Solar Eclipse, 2024) – Joyce, Lincoln, NE

“This was my first tour with Moostash Joe Tours and it was AWESOME!” (Arkansas Total Solar Eclipse, 2024) – Jack, LaVista, NE

“An excellent tour with incredibly helpful staff and a great itinerary. Great selection of food. Activities were engaging. The birds were spectacular! It also felt like we supported a lot of local businesses, which is very important to me. I’m so glad I took the long trip from Florida and I’d happily recommend this tour to anyone I know.” (Sandhill Crane Migration, 2024) – Nic, Alachua, FL

“Another great tour! This was number four with Moostash Joe Tours. Compared to other companies, better buses, better hotels, better meals and better people! Value is excellent. Tour Directors do an excellent job keeping us informed. We will be back!” (Nashville and Memphis Spring, 2024) – Hank & Dottie, Sioux City, IA

“Our Tour Director and Driver were both so friendly and helpful. The range of activities was great – something for everyone!” (Mystery Tour “S”, 2024) – Lee & Genny, Lincoln, NE

“Enjoyed the entertainment! Safe and careful Driver. Knowledgeable Tour Director. Great tour!” (Nashville and Memphis Spring, 2024) – Sue, Bennington, NE

“What an amazing experience and trip! Made only better by our wonderful Tour Director and Driver. Would highly recommend to anyone.” (Nashville and Memphis Spring, 2024) – Kathy, Berthoud, CO

“We will definitely travel with Moostash Joe Tours again!” (Best of Texas, 2024) – Butch & Nancy, Pender, NE

“We totally enjoyed the trip! We came on as 50 strangers and left with 50 friends.” (Best of Texas, 2024) – Ron & Connie, Hartington, NE

“We were impressed with the service provided by both our Tour Director and Driver. Would recommend this trip to others.” (Coastal Florida & Key West, 2024) – Dave & Brenda, Hinckley, MN

“Excellent tour! The time in Key West was great. Thank you so much! We have three more tours scheduled this year and can’t wait!” (Coastal Florida & Key West, 2024) – Michael & Vicki, Concordia, KS

“Best group of people we’ve toured with! Our Tour Director was wonderful. Very informative and organized. Felt very save with our Driver. It’s always a pleasure traveling with Moostash Joe Tours!” (Coastal Florida & Key West, 2024) – Bob & Kris, Johnston, IA

“A great way to make memories.” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Carol, Syracuse, NE

“We thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip and the shows were top-notch!” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Dennis & Melissa, Lincoln, NE

“I enjoyed this trip so much! Our Tour Director and Driver were great. I will travel again with Moostash Joe Tours!” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Gloria, Kearney, NE

“I have been on two other tours with other companies – and I would say this is the best! Everything was so organized. Our Tour Director and Driver were so friendly.” (San Antonio Christmas, 2023) – Jan, North Platte, NE

“Our Tour Director and Driver were fantastic! This was our first tour with Moostash Joe Tours, but it won’t be our last! Was very well organized. Accommodations were excellent. We had a great time!” (San Antonio Christmas, 2023) – Jerry & Dixie, Hastings, NE

“We’d recommend the trip to others! Not only does Moostash Joe Tours organize a well-rounded trip, but the friendships we make are special, too!” (San Antonio Christmas, 2023) – Lloyd & Deb, Kenesaw, NE

“The whole trip was amazing! Moostash Joe Tours is definitely my tour of choice! You can tell you care about each and every one of us. Thanks so much for making this an unforgettable trip!” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Nancy, Kearney, NE

“We enjoyed our trip to Branson! The shows we saw were magnificent! We had great seating for all of them. Our Tour Director did an outstanding job of keeping everything organized. Our Driver was very skilled. We felt very safe all the time. The food was great as well.” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Mike & Paula, Fremont, NE

“The trip was extremely well organized. Our Tour Director was very informative. Our Driver was fantastic. Great trip!” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Judy, York, NE

“This was my maiden voyage and it was a great experience! Every member of the tour was son kind and helpful to each other. I would definitely like to do it again.” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Brenda, Grand Island, NE

“My first tour with Moostash Joe Tours. Have heard nothing but good things and now I agree!” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Roxanne, Bertrand, NE

“This trip was much more organized than other companies we have gone with. Hotels were great. Loved the morning blessing to begin each day.” (Nashville Country Christmas, 2023) – Tom & Deb, Mitchell, SD

“Amazing tour! Excellent Tour Director and Driver. I would definitely do this again!” (Nashville Country Christmas, 2023) – Tina, Papillion, NE

“This was our first tour ever and was such a fun experience! I would highly recommend this company to anyone.” (Nashville Country Christmas, 2023) – Charlie & Cindy, Yutan, NE

“All of our tours with Moostash Joe Tours have been very good, especially this one to Branson. It was exceptional.” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Dennis & Carol, Omaha, NE

“This was my first time doing a bus tour and would highly recommend it.” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Connie, Lincoln, NE

“What a great trip! Enjoyed every performance!” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Connie, Columbus, NE

“Great experience! Our Tour Director and Driver made the trip very enjoyable. Looking forward to more in the future.” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Cliff & Willa, Holdrege, NE

“Thank you for such a memorable trip for my grandmother and I! You made her bucket list trip a dream come true. Our Tour Director was awesome – very friendly, caring and hilarious! If we ever take another bus tour, it will be with Moostash Joe Tours! I will recommend to anyone. Thanks again!” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Mary, Corsica, SD

“My first bus tour and it was awesome! Enjoyed just relaxing on the bus and letting someone else do the driving. The tour of NYC was much more than I expected. Will recommend to my friends.” (New York Christmas Spectacular, 2023) – Susan, Maitland, MO

“Our Tour Director and Driver were wonderful! Our step-on guide in NYC was amazing! This was an amazing trip with truly wonderful people. I had a blast!” (New York Christmas Spectacular, 2023) – Tami, Columbus, NE

“This was the BEST experience I have ever had traveling! This is the way to go! I am highly recommending this tour to many of my friends. Thank you for all you did!” (New York Christmas Spectacular, 2023) – Carrie, Norfolk, NE

“Our first time – it was great! So looking forward to more!” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Andy & Marilyn, Murray, NE

“Our Tour Director, Driver and all the shows were above and beyond our expectations. Thank you for the memories!” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Barb, Fremont, NE

“Really enjoyed the tour. Very well planned in all ways.” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Donna, Cozad, NE

“Loved our first bus tour! The people were very fun and our Tour Director did a great job making everyone feel comfortable.” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Gordon & Barb, Schleswig, IA

“The whole tour was awesome and we so enjoyed ourselves. Loved all the shows and restaurant choices.” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Steve & Mary, Lyons, NE

“My first experience and enjoyed it very much! Thank you!” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Delores, Yankton, SD

“Wonderful tour! Very enjoyable. All of the shows were amazing. Our Driver did an amazing job. Our Tour Director was very knowledgeable and helpful. My favorite part was meeting so many new friends on the bus. It’s such a good feeling to know that our Driver and Tour Director took care of all the details and you don’t have to worry about anything!” (Branson Christmas, 2023) – Cheryl, Chester, NE

“I have taken 10 tours with Moostash Joe Tours and every one gets better each time. Thank you!” (New Orleans, 2023) – Tom, Omaha, NE

“This was my first bus tour. Glad I picked Moostash Joe Tours.” (Waco, Texas and Cowboy Country, 2023) – Linda, Grand Island, NE

“Thank you for such a pleasurable tour.” (Waco, Texas and Cowboy Country, 2023) – Mike & Tsipi, Douglas, WY

“What a lovely experience on my first bus tour! The trip was well planned. Our Driver was wonderful – getting us through any tight corners, busy roads and very safe. Our Tour Director was fantastic. Her kind a caring personality made you feel like family.” (Waco, Texas and Cowboy Country, 2023) – Susan, Pierce, NE

“Moostash Joe Tours has the best offerings of tours.” (Waco, Texas and Cowboy Country, 2023) – Patty, Sioux City, IA

“For our first trip with Moostash Joe Tours, we were very pleased with how well it was operated. We had no idea what to expect. We will be sure to book another trip with you.” (Ark Encounter, 2023) – Rob & Lori, Elmwood, NE

“Would highly recommend to others.” (Ark Encounter, 2023) – Bob & Sharon, Omaha, NE

“It was a terrific tour. We could not have asked for a better Driver and Tour Director. This being our first bus tour, we were not disappointed. The Balloon Fiesta was amazing. We would definitely recommend to a friend.” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2023) – Gerry & Janet, Norfolk, NE

“Above and beyond our expectations. Our Driver was very professional and always felt safe. Our Tour Director was excellent. It was easy to follow her directions and she was knowledgeable about where we were going. All around great trip. Will highly recommend.” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2023) – Keith & Barb, Fremont, NE

“I have been on many tours with other groups but this was by far a much better experience. The Tour Director and Driver were excellent. So professional and friendly to everyone.” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2023) – Shirley, Elk Point, SD

“I’ve never been on a Moostash Joe Tour before and I will highly recommend it to my friends and family. Our Tour Director made the trip fun and our Driver was also great. I would love to take another tour in the future.” (Branson Autumn Adventure, 2023) – Marty, Edison, NE

“What a fun trip! The time scheduled was well used, a good variety of activities to please everyone. Both our Tour Director and Driver were terrific. Thank you for a wonderful time.” (Branson Autumn Adventure, 2023) – Joan, Omaha, NE

“My overall experience was amazing. This was my first time traveling with Moostash Joe Tours. Will be doing it again. Thank you!” (Branson Autumn Adventure, 2023) – Fran, Schuyler, NE

“We’ve really enjoyed this trip. Our days were filled with fun things to do and great places to eat. Loved all the great shows and music. We also enjoyed all the new travel companions and new friends we met.” (Smoky Mountain Discovery Autumn, 2023) – James & Elaine, Columbus, NE

“Tour was terrific. As was our Tour Director and Driver. Both very friendly and reliable.” (Trains of West Virginia, 2023) – Jean, Omaha, NE

“We enjoyed the trip! It’s amazing how you get acquainted and make friends in such a short time. Overall, it was a great experience.” (Trains of West Virginia, 2023) – Mike & Dianne, Grand Island, NE

“Wouldn’t hesitate to do it again and would highly recommend.” (Autumn in New England, 2023) – Ron & LaDona, Lexington, NE

“Very enjoyable trip. Well organized and well executed. Our Driver and Tour Director were five stars. It was so nice to not have to worry about logistics. We will be back again for future tours. Thank you!” (Autumn in New England, 2023) – Rick & Kathy, Papillion, NE

“We were not disappointed. You definitely lived up to your reputation. I would recommend Moostash Joe Tours to everyone. This particular tour is a must-see and hopefully we will be able to take more tours in the future.” (Autumn in New England, 2023) – Bob & Patricia, Omaha, NE

“Just an awesome trip! Tour Director was exceptionally funny and friendly.” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2023) – Mary, Osceola, IA

“A wonderful, very well organized tour. Our Driver and Tour Director were excellent.” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2023) – Kandy, Plattsmouth, NE

“This tour was on our bucket list and it exceeded our expectations! The extra stops we made were also well planned.” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2023) – Douglas & Jana, Marysville, KS

“Our Driver was super professional and helpful. Our Tour Director was also super – very kind and helpful. We would definitely travel again with Moostash Joe Tours.” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Greg & Wendy, Bridgeport, NE

“Was a wonderful experience. I felt our overall tour reflected the closeness and courtesy of all the travelers aboard. A wonderful group of now friends. What a pleasure!” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Carolyn, Fremont, NE

“Wonderful trip – loved everything about it!” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Erv & Cheryl, Lincoln, NE

“Our Tour Director was wonderful. Very personable, efficient and empathetic. Our Driver also did an excellent job. I’ve been on bus tours in the past with other companies and this one far surpassed any previous experiences. Great job!” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Joann, West Des Moines, IA

“This was our first tour with Moostash Joe Tours and it was a great experience. Our Tour Director was very good and our Driver was excellent. Our group was so friendly. I hope we’ll be able to go on another tour in the future.” (Autumn in New England, 2023) – Richard & Mary, Omaha, NE

“Moostash Joe Tours does a great job at planning the trips. Great food, nice hotels and the itinerary is well-planned. Everything runs very smoothly. Great way to travel. Very enjoyable.” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Lila, Aurora, NE

“This trip was great! Much more than I expected. What a great trip with great people.” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Patsy, Ames, IA

“Keep up the great work! Appreciate how simple the whole process of registering for the trip throughout the trip itself.” (Autumn in New England, 2023) – Jan, Pella, IA

“This tour was a once in a lifetime experience! We completed 11 of our remaining 17 states! Our Tour Director and Driver were exceptional.” (Autumn in New England, 2023) – Warren & Ruby, Grant, NE

“The Tour Director and Driver helped make this tour such an enjoyable experience! Every day exceeded expectations and the step-on guides were very knowledgeable, making this trip quite the educational experience. All in all, it was a very memorable experience and we can’t wait to share what we saw with our friends.” (Autumn in New England, 2023) – Larry & Sharon, Omaha, NE

“We were very impressed with our first Moostash Joe Tour and hope to go on more in the future. We liked all the activities.” (Trains & Cruises of New England, 2023) – Leo & Julie, Hastings, NE

“Had a wonderful trip. Our Tour Director and Driver were delightful. Great accommodations. Loved the step-on guide in Door County.” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Jim & Linda, Murdock, NE

“Had a wonderful time! Thank you!” (Eureka Springs & Branson, 2023) – Bob & Eleanor, Cook, NE

“Wonderful tour! And wonderful Tour Director and Driver!” (Eureka Springs & Branson, 2023) – Blanche, Auburn, NE

“Our Tour Director was a lot of fun. Our Driver was excellent – we felt very safe. This was our first bus tour and it was so enjoyable. It won’t be our last!” (Beautiful Cape Cod, 2023) – Dale & Rachel, Jamestown, IN

“The tour was amazing and we met some amazing people. We will do another tour in the future.” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Ron & Judy, Lincoln, NE

“This was the best experience EVER! We loved all the attractions. Thanks for a fabulous experience.” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Marv & Peg, Schuyler, NE

“Our Tour Director was very delightful, informative, friendly and helpful. Our Driver was fabulous. So helpful and nice. 5 stars!” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Cheryl, Elm Creek, NE

“Our Tour Director and Driver were such a fun combo to travel with. Very safe, fun, smart and entertaining. The whole group on this tour became the best of friends by the end!” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Bob & Kathy, Lincoln, NE

“This tour was wonderful. Enjoyed everything we did. Our Tour Director was great – good with everyone and very helpful.” (Mississippi River Cruise, 2023) – Duane & Pam, Fremont, NE

“This was my first time traveling with Moostash Joe Tours and enjoyed every minute of it! Will definitely travel again.” (Mississippi River Cruise, 2023) – Les & Jan, Neligh, NE

“The people we travelled with were so much fun to be around. They made our experience much better. Would love to travel with everyone again!” (Colorado Train Adventure, 2023) – Pam & Leon, Crofton, NE

“You couldn’t ask for a better trip and overall experience! Our Tour Director and Driver were terrific. Can’t wait for the next adventure.” (Colorado Train Adventure, 2023) – Janelle, Plainview, NE

“This was our first tour with Moostash Joe Tours. Our Driver and Tour Director were outstanding. We enjoyed the train rides. Everything was well planned and very enjoyable. We will go again!” (Colorado Train Adventure, 2023) – Dean & Jalaine, Schuyler, NE

“We had a wonderful trip! Our Driver was funny, kind and courteous. Our Tour Director was a joy to travel with! We will certainly take another trip and recommend your tours to others.” (Colorado Train Adventure, 2023) – Gale, Schuyler, NE

“We had a wonderful time! Everything was exceptional – accommodations, food, tours, etc.” (Nebraska @ Colorado Football, 2023) – Scott & Cherie, Gretna, NE

“This was exceptional in every aspect. Great activities. Professional and fun Driver and Tour Director.” (Nebraska @ Colorado Football, 2023) – Mary, Papillion, NE

“Such a wonderful time! The activities were so great and helped us have a top notch experience – would highly recommend!” (Nebraska @ Colorado Football, 2023) – Justin & Tamara, Winterset, IA

“Great trip! Our Tour Director and Driver were great. This was our 5th tour with Moostash Joe Tours and always have been happy with everything. We will be doing more traveling with you.” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Ed & Judy, Bancroft, NE

“This was my first Moostash Joe Tour and it was much more than I expected. Having 40+ travelers gather for happy hour says it all. A great group of Midwesterners. Thank you for the memories!” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Julia, West Des Moines, IA

“This was a fantastic tour! Best yet. Our Tour Director was fun and our Driver was very helpful.” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Carol, Allen, NE

“Another great trip! Loved the parks. Well organized.” (National Parks, 2023) – Ken & Anne, Wayne, NE

“Great trip! Met many new friends. Enjoyed all the parks.” (National Parks, 2023) – Darrel & Cathy, Seward, NE

“This was our first bus tour and it was a great experience. Absolutely loved Mackinac Island and Door County.” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Tim & Pat, Elkhorn, NE

“This was our first bus tour and we didn’t know what to expect. We had a GREAT time and will do this again!” (Nashville & Memphis, 2023) – Chuck & Shari, Humboldt, NE

“The trip was wonderful. All of the events were great!” (Nashville & Memphis, 2023) – Cecilia, Omaha, NE

“This was one of the most fun and interesting trips. Our Tour Director went above and beyond to make sure all were comfortable.” (Nashville & Memphis, 2023) – Elaine, Wahoo, NE

“Our Tour Director and Driver were awesome! Crossed several things off my bucket list. Thank you for an awesome trip.” (Nashville & Memphis, 2023) – Carol, Logan, IA

“Our Tour Director and Driver were both professional, personable and very friendly. Really enjoyed the tour. Loved our day on Mackinac Island. Would highly recommend this trip!” (Great Lakes of North America, 2023) – Doug & Lexie, Lincoln, NE

“There were a good variety of activities and were definitely busy! Meals were great. Just a great trip!” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Terry and Cathie, Beatrice, NE

“We had a great time and look forward to doing another trip soon!” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Jim and Thorna, Omaha, NE

“Our Driver did an excellent job. Our Tour Director was well organized, cheerful and fun to be around. The group as a whole was so much fun. We made many new friends.” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Kathie, Plano, TX

“We had a great time on this trip. Everything was well organized. Both the Tour Director and Driver were very professional and friendly. We will be taking other tours in the future.” (Nebraska @ Minnesota Football, 2023) – Larry and Janet, McCool Junction, NE

“Overall a wonderful tour. Thanks for everything. Will look forward to travel with you again.” (Nebraska @ Minnesota Football, 2023) – Jerry & Carolyn, Rock Port, MO

“Both the Tour Director and Driver were very courteous and helpful in every way. Excellent trip. Thanks again!” (Nebraska @ Minnesota Football, 2023) – Alvin, Fremont, NE

“Overall this tour was wonderful and I would highly recommend it! Our group was f un and courteous and we had a lot of laughs. Thank you for putting together such a great tour!” (Nashville & Memphis, 2023) – Lorene, Omaha, NE

“This was my first trip and it went so smoothly and was very enjoyable.” (Mystery Tour “BS”, 2023) – Terri, Fullerton, NE

“This was a wonderful experience! Our Driver and Tour Director were both very helpful, courteous and friendly.” (Mystery Tour “BS”, 2023) – Jeanette, Norfolk, NE

“This trip to the Grand Canyon was such a beautiful experience. We loved every day. We are hoping to take another tour with Moostash Joe Tours!” (Mighty Grand Canyon, 2023) – Eugene & Carol, Winner, SD

“We really enjoyed the trip! The time was well-planned. Good activities. Step-on guides were helpful. Food and lodging was excellent. Fun group to travel with and a great tour out to the Southwest!” (Mighty Grand Canyon, 2023) – Mike & Julie, Kearney, NE

“One of our favorite trips! Our Tour Director was amazing and so personable. Our Driver was exceptional. We so appreciated all the hard work that is involved in making this a wonderful, special experience of a lifetime!” (Mighty Grand Canyon, 2023) – Mick & Sandy, Grand Island, NE

“I had absolutely the best time! Great bunch of people, great sights, well organized. Our Driver was very professional and courteous. Our Tour Director was the best. Always pleasant, helpful, knowledgeable.” (Mighty Grand Canyon, 2023) – Marvin, Lincoln, NE

“This tour went way beyond my expectations. So much to see and the beauty was beyond words. Our Tour Director was the best. She went out of her way to make everyone comfortable and informed.” (Mighty Grand Canyon, 2023) – Janice, Yankton, SD

“Our Tour Director was phenomenal! She cared about everyone and ensured all were involved. She made the trip memorable and enjoyable. Our Driver was also excellent. Friendly and helpful throughout the trip. All in all, it was money well spent.” (Canadian Rockies, 2023) – Darin & Linda, Lincoln, NE

“This was a great trip. All of our stops were excellent. The step-on guides were very knowledgeable. Our meals were excellent. This was one of the best trips I have ever taken. Thank you!” (Canadian Rockies, 2023) – Jan, Norfolk, NE

“We had the best step-on guides for this trip! It was one of the best trips we’ve ever been on.” (Canadian Rockies, 2023) – David & Karen, Beatrice, NE

“Wow! Yellowstone has been on my list of places to go for a very long time. The adventure was awesome – especially with our step-on guide. The Grand Tetons were an added bonus. I will take this trip again!” (Magnificent Tetons & Yellowstone National Parks, 2023) – Jeanne, Broken Bow, NE

“First bus tour of any kind and Moostash Joe Tours did a super job. We will highly recommend your tours to all of our friends. Great Tour Director and Driver.” (Magnificent Tetons & Yellowstone National Parks, 2023) – Bob & Dianne, Sterling, NE

“Loved this tour! Our step-on guide in the Tetons & Yellowstone was excellent.” (Magnificent Tetons & Yellowstone National Parks, 2023) – Sandy, Lincoln, NE

“So very much enjoyed this trip. I would recommend to anyone.” (Magnificent Tetons & Yellowstone National Parks, 2023) – Bonnie, Lombard, IL

“Really enjoyed every day – great tour!” (Black Hills and Badlands, 2023) – Tom & Marlene, Shickley, NE

“This was our first trip – and I’m sure there will be others. Already looking online at other tours!” (Black Hills and Badlands, 2023) – Pat & Sue, Lincoln, NE

“One of the best tours ever! A lot of activities. Our Tour Director and Driver were exceptional.” (Black Hills and Badlands, 2023) – Sharon, Yankton, SD

“This tour was absolutely amazing! It was my first time on a bus tour and enjoyed it very much.” (Great Parks of the Northwest, 2023) – Nafissa, Omaha, NE

“It was a great tour! Thoroughly enjoyed each day.” (Colorado Train Adventure, 2023) – Ray & Leslie, Tekamah, NE 

“Overall – a fabulous tour!” (Ark Encounter, 2023) – Ruth, Omaha, NE

“Everything was great! Would definitely recommend Moostash Joe Tours to others.” (Ark Encounter, 2023) – Karen, Gregory, SD

“This was my first tour experience and am very glad I found Moostash Joe Tours!” (Ark Encounter, 2023) – Diane, Exira, IA

“Loved this tour! Thank you for offering Door County as it’s own destination.” (Destination Door County, WI, 2023) – Chuck & Frankie, Valentine, NE

“Everything was beyond excellent – every aspect of the tour! The entire trip was personal and very professional. Had a very good time!” (Destination Door County, WI, 2023) – Cardi, Tea, SD

“First time with Moostash Joe Tours – best tour I’ve ever been on! Best Tour Director and Driver. Hope to go again.” (Awesome Niagara Falls, 2023) – Liz, Phillips, NE

“Awesome tour! Our Tour Director and Driver were great. Very pleasant and knowledgeable. Tons of laughs.” (Awesome Niagara Falls, 2023) – Jan, Yankton, SD

“Great tour! Very interesting activities.” (Awesome Niagara Falls, 2023) – Judy, Exeter, NE

“Our Tour Director and Driver were an excellent team! Moostash Joe Tours takes all the work out of traveling!” (Cubs vs Orioles at Wrigley Field, 2023) – Lloyd & Betty, Fremont, NE

“Loved the trip! The other people on the bus are always so friendly. And the Tour Directors are always so friendly.” (Cubs vs Orioles at Wrigley Field, 2023) – Todd & Linda, Omaha, NE

“This was our first bus tour and it far exceeded our expectations. Our Tour Director and Driver were very professional and knowledgeable. Loved how strangers soon were family.” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Gary & Ann, Norfolk, NE

“This was our first tour with Moostash Joe Tours and enjoyed it very much! Will recommend to others.” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Rich & Lynn, Beatrice, NE

“My first bus tour – was very impressed with how smoothly everything went. Was really nice letting someone else handle all the details.” (Mississippi River Cruise, 2023) – Barb, Sargent, NE

“Great trip! Loved the river cruise. We met some wonderful people. Just the right length.” (Mississippi River Cruise, 2023) – Larry & Jan, Waterloo, NE

“We felt this was a first class trip! Our Driver and Tour Director were terrific. We plan to do more tours with Moostash Joe.” (Mississippi River Cruise, 2023) – Larry & Janet, McCool Junction, NE

“Excellent organization! Our Tour Director was super friendly and one of the best we’ve ever had. Our Driver was great as well. And we felt safe. The staff on the river cruise were so friendly, helpful, and efficient.” (Mississippi River Cruise, 2023) – Dennis & Cinda, Stromsburg, NE

“Great experience all around! We will be back to catch a bigger one!” (Trophy Walleye Fishing, 2023) – Jerry & Jill, Hillsboro, KS

“The relaxed atmosphere added to the enjoyment of the tour. There was never a dull moment! The Tour Director and Driver did everything in their power to make me feel safe and comfortable. The choice of shows was also great.” (Branson June, 2023) – Faith, Allen, NE

“This was the best trip I have been on! Our Tour Director and Driver were the best. They made this trip fantastic.” (Branson June, 2023) – Juli, Laurel, NE

“Our Tour Director and Driver were GREAT! We had a wonderful time. The group was also a lot of fun and they helped make it that way.” (Branson June, 2023) – Larry & Liz, Lincoln, NE

“Loved meeting all the people! Made many new friends.” (Waco, Texas and Cowboy Country, 2023) – Rebecca, Emery, SD

“I am very impressed with this tour. As well as our Tour Director and Driver. I felt very safe. This was a wonderful tour.” (Waco, Texas and Cowboy Country, 2023) – Carol, Hamill, SD

“Our Tour Director was kind, respectful and helpful. Our Driver was excellent! Would recommend this tour to friends. Thank you!” (Waco, Texas and Cowboy Country, 2023) – Sue, Sioux Falls, SD

“Wonderful tour – loved it! It was my first with Moostash Joe Tours and won’t be my last. Both our Tour Director and Driver were the perfect fit. Great way to see God’s Country.” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Janiece, Glenwood, IA

“The tour was FABULOUS!” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Marvin & Linda, Lincoln, NE

“Super tour! Excellent Tour Director and Driver.” (Mackinac Island, 2023) – Sandy, Belton, MO

“I very much enjoyed the variety of activities. Thank you!” (Mystery Tour “TR”, 2023) – Natalie, Papillion, NE

Completely surprised! I was very impressed with everything. One of my favorite trips.” (Mystery Tour “TR”, 2023) – Ed, Omaha, NE

“I thought this tour was so much fun! All of our stops were enjoyable. Our Tour Director and Driver both did a fantastic job.” (Mystery Tour “TR”, 2023) – Roxie, Lincoln, NE

“We totally enjoyed our trip! Will go again!” (California & Great Parks, 2023) – Ken & Linda, Holstein, IA

“This was my first bus tour and I enjoyed it very much. We saw some amazing sights. Our Tour Director was very professional, friendly and engaging. Our Driver did an excellent job and was friendly and social.” (California & Great Parks, 2023) – Penny, Lincoln, NE

“A great travel experience! Our Tour Director and Driver were wonderful and went above and beyond the call of duty.” (California & Great Parks, 2023) – Rock & Linda, Lincoln, NE

“It was a great two-day trip with lots of good information. Food was outstanding. Our Tour Director and Driver were professional and entertaining. Thank you for a wonderful trip!” (Pella Tulip Festival, 2023) – Bob & Natalie, Papillion, NE

“This was my first bus tour and it was wonderful!” (Pella Tulip Festival, 2023) – Jodi, Hastings, NE

“Everything was wonderful. The tour was so well organized and fun. There was a great variety of activities and attractions. The office staff members were always helpful when I called.” (Georgia & the Carolinas Spring, 2023) – Peggy, Omaha, NE

“The tour was well-planned. I would highly recommend Moostash Joe Tours.” (Georgia & the Carolinas Spring, 2023) – Linda, Avoca, IA

“This trip was wonderful from start to finish! Our Tour Director and Driver were fantastic. The food, accommodations and step-on guides were tremendous!” (Georgia & the Carolinas Spring, 2023) – Pat & Debbie, Bennington, NE

“It was a great trip! Our Tour Director and Driver were wonderful. Very well organized and so pleasant to be around. This was our first trip and we will travel again soon!” (Georgia & the Carolinas Spring, 2023) – Tom & Jeanne, Grand Island, NE

“Our first trip was fantastic! We love traveling with Moostash Joe Tours!” (Georgia & Carolinas Spring, 2023) – Mike & Deb, Yankton, SD

“It was a great tour and our Tour Director and Driver were very friendly and truly professional.” (Gulf Coast Adventure, 2023) – Harold, Omaha, NE

“Our Tour Director and Driver were both very fun and genuinely friendly. We also very much enjoyed the morning devotions.” (Gulf Coast Adventure, 2023) – John & Avis, Lincoln, NE

“What a great trip! Our Tour Director was wonderful and our Driver was very pleasant and helpful. I enjoyed all of the events. I’m sure I’ll do another trip in the future.” (New York City Spring, 2023) – Carol, Papillion, NE

“Our step-on guide in NYC was outstanding. Our Driver was masterful! And our Tour Director was so thoughtful and kind. It was a wonderful experience and I will recommend Moostash Joe Tours to all my friends and family.” (New York City Spring, 2023) – Teresa, Polk City, IA

“Very good trip! Would definitely recommend.” (Georgia & Carolinas Spring, 2023) – Brad & Jennifer, Lincoln, NE

“Our Tour Director and Driver were excellent! Both were friendly and very helpful and always thinking of things that would make our trip the best.” (Georgia & Carolinas Spring, 2023) – Kevin & Jan, Yankton, SD

“This entire trip was wonderful! There was a nice variety of music, shows, humor, tours and food!” (Branson Spring, 2023) – Sonja, Bennington, NE

“This was a wonderful experience. Our Tour Director and Driver were so personable and made our tour so enjoyable and fun. Thank you so much! We will definitely be back for another tour in the very near future!” (Branson Spring, 2023) – Edward & Renata, Omaha, NE

“Enjoyed the trip! It was our first bus tour. We have been to Branson 20 years ago and my how things have changed! Our Tour Director and Driver were a delight. It was fun to meet new people also. Thank you for the memories!” (Branson Spring, 2023) – Don & Deb, St. Libory, NE

“This was our first bus tour. We were hesitant to begin but soon into the tour we were making friends. By evening we were laughing hysterically with everyone on the bus. Our Tour Director and Driver were excellent and made the tour so much fun. We loved the activities and felt is was a nice variety of attractions.” (Branson Spring, 2023) – Craig & Donna, Papillion, NE

“I’ve never been on a bus tour before and I was very surprised. This was a lot of fun! Thank you for a wonderful time.” (Ark Encounter, 2023) – Robin, Omaha, NE

“Our Tour Director did so much to help us in any way at any time! She was amazing with a wonderful attitude. It was a great trip.” (Ark Encounter, 2023) – Ellen, Calmar, IA

“The tour was a 10 out of 10! We would travel again with Moostash Joe Tours anytime!” (Washington, D.C. Spring, 2023) – Greg & Sue, Lexington, NE

“This was our first tour with Moostash Joe Tours. We were very pleased and impressed.” (Washington, D.C. Spring, 2023) – Keith & Alda, Columbus, NE

“The tour was exceptional! Always a pleasure working with Moostash Joe Tours personnel. The Drivers and Tour Directors are always well educated and enjoyable to be with.” (Caribbean Cruise Getaway, 2023) – Wendell, Fremont, NE

“We have taken four trips the last 18 months and have enjoyed them all!” (Caribbean Cruise Getaway, 2023) – Jan & Tom, Lincoln, NE

“This was our 6th Moostash Joe Tours and it was perfect! Looking forward to our next tour.” (Caribbean Cruise Getaway, 2023) – Carmen & Marcia, Bellevue, NE

“I had a wonderful time from the first day to the last!” (Nashville and Memphis Spring, 2023) – Michele, Amherst, NE

“Our Tour Director was great – lots of fun. Our Driver did a great job as well. If someone is looking for a bus tour, we would highly recommend Moostash Joe Tours.” (Nashville and Memphis Spring, 2023) – Ray & Barb, Rogers, MN

“We really enjoyed this tour. Everywhere we went was very interesting. Saw things that we didn’t know about and would’ve missed on our own. Our Tour Director even gave us a special anniversary gift! What a wonderful way to celebrate.” (Nashville and Memphis Spring, 2023) – Dwight & Janet, Kearney, NE

“This was my first tour and I enjoyed it very much!” (Nashville and Memphis Spring, 2023) – Linda, Kearney, NE

“This was our fourth tour with Moostash Joe Tours. We have enjoyed all of them! Our Tour Director and Driver were excellent. Thank you!” (Coastal Florida, 2023) – Arnold & Joan, Ceresco, NE

“Great tour overall and wonderful and energetic Tour Director. We ha a most wonderful time!” (Coastal Florida, 2023) – Ken & Barb, Rapid City, SD

“Our Tour Director and Driver were helpful beyond words! Definitely booking more tours.” (Best of Texas, 2023) – Myron & Logene, Randolph, NE

“This was a great tour! We had so much fun. The best Tour Director and Driver. Keep up the good work!” (Best of Texas, 2023) – Kim & Marilyn, Madison, NE

“This was our 20th tour with Moostash Joe Tours, and this might be our favorite!” (Best of Texas, 2023) – Larry & Gayle, Stromsburg, NE

“Very enjoyable! Loved the “mystery” aspect and the fun of guessing where we were going.” (Ultimate Mystery Christmas, 2022) – Nancy & Howard, Omaha, NE

“Everything met my expectations and went above and beyond. I would love to go on another tour!” (San Antonio Christmas, 2022) – Nancy, Anselmo, NE

“This trip was a 10 out of 10! Our Tour Director and Driver were great. They both went above and beyond to make our trip so much fun. They were always friendly and courteous to everyone.” (San Antonio Christmas, 2022) – Cindy, Lincoln, NE

“Best bus tour I’ve ever been on. Nicely planned and executed.” (Nashville Country Christmas, 2022) – Glenda, Pilot Grove, MO

“Our driver and tour director went above and beyond what they had to do for us!” (Nashville Country Christmas, 2022) – Randy & Juanita, Pierce, NE

“This was our first tour. It was excellent! Beyond our expectations.” (Branson Christmas, 2022) – Loyal & Beth, Johnson, NE

“I had never been to Branson before and I greatly appreciated the variety of shows and meals. Loved each one! Great way to start the Christmas season.” (Branson Christmas, 2022) – Janine, Westside, IA

“This was my first tour. I was very impressed. Good choice of shows. And Dogwood Canyon was an excellent choice.” (Branson Christmas, 2022) – Donna, Springfield, SD

“This was my first time with Moostash Joe Tours and it was the most enjoyable. Our Tour Director was so fun and friendly. And our Driver was always very helpful.” (Branson Christmas, 2022) – Elaine, Creighton, NE

“This was my first tour and I was very pleased to find it very interesting and enjoyable. Very much more than I was expecting!” (Waco, Texas and Cowboy Country, 2022) – Cammy, Bellevue, NE

“Wonderful trip! Visited many sights off-the-beaten-path. Thank you!” (Smoky Mountain Discovery, 2022) – Judy, Norfolk, NE

“This was a lot more than I expected! Great value for the money. We will be going on more of these in the future!” (Utah’s Mighty 5, 2022) – Judy, Columbus, NE

“Have always wanted to go to Branson to see what all the “fuss” is about! This was the BEST way to do it! We had a wonderful time.” (Branson Autumn Adventure, 2022) – Bob & Nancy, Omaha, NE

“It was a wonderful experience of seeing a part of the country that would not have happened without this tour!” (Autumn in New England, 2022) – Alma, Burwell, NE

“Seeing the Grand Canyon was on my “bucket list.” It was more beautiful than I ever imagined! All of the other excursions were amazing and like nothing else I had ever seen before. Thanks for planning such a wonderful trip!” (Grand Canyon by Rail, 2022) – Janet, Fremont, NE

“This was our fourth tour with Moostash Joe Tours and we have enjoyed every one of them!” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2022) – Richard & Sharon, Allen, NE

“It was an amazing experience for our first bus tour! Our Tour Director and Driver were awesome!” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2022) – Steve & Deb, Hastings, NE

“I enjoyed the trip immensely! I always recommend Moostash Joe Tours to others. Can’t wait for the next one!” (Mackinac Island, 2022) – Susan, Omaha, NE

“Our Tour Director and Driver were awesome! They made the tour very enjoyable and fun. We got to see sights that we would never see on our own. Highly recommend.” (Autumn in New England, 2022) – Don & Diane, Lincoln, NE

“Excellent tour director and driver. Really enjoyed the trip! Looking forward to the next one with Moostash Joe Tours!” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2022) – Kirk & Lynn – Paragould, AR

“This was such an enjoyable trip! We loved all the sights we saw and we made a lot of new friends. Keep up the good work!” (Autumn in New England, 2022) – Joel & Kay, Lincoln, NE

“Great first trip. Encourages us to want to take many more.” (Autumn in New England, 2022) – Bill & Donna, Hastings, NE

“This was my first tour and I will not only recommend it to my friends, but I will also be taking more tours in the future! Thank you for the memories!” (Autumn in New England, 2022) – Annie, Omaha, NE

“Our Tour Director was exceptionally good. She made it a point to visit with everyone. Made the trip very personable. Our Driver also did a very good job. Really enjoyed everything!” (Autumn in New England, 2022) – Janet, Yankton, SD

“Wonderful trip – couldn’t be better! Hope to plan another one soon.” (Mackinac Island, 2022) – Janet & Rod, Lincoln, NE

“We are sold. First time and loved it!” (Eureka Springs & Branson, 2022) – Joe & JoAnn, David City, NE

“I thought this tour was exceptional. Hotels were great. Food was really good. Attractions were fun and interesting. And our Tour Director and Driver were very friendly.” (Georgia & the Carolinas, 2022) – Shirley, Papillion, NE

“This was our first time ever on a bus tour and we are so impressed with Moostash Joe Tours!” (Georgia & the Carolinas, 2022) – Dave & Colleen, Grand Island, NE

“The tour was great! We saw a lot of things we wouldn’t have seen on our own. We will definitely be back!” (Georgia & the Carolinas, 2022) – Don & Dianne, Yankton, SD

“Pleased with everything! Our Tour Director and Driver were excellent and handled everything very professionally.” (Colorado Train Adventure, 2022) – Greg & Marylynne, Griswold, IA

“Very wonderful tour! Our Tour Director and Driver made the tour so delightful.” (Beautiful Cape Cod, 2022) – Olga, West Des Moines, IA

“First time with Moostash Joe Tours – GREAT people!” (Mackinac Island, 2022) – Regg & Dixie, Laurel, NE

“We enjoyed everything!” (Mackinac Island, 2022) – Ron & Pat, Omaha, NE

“It was a very enjoyable tour!” (Mississippi River Cruise, 2022) – Duane & Betty, Carroll, IA

“Thank you for organizing this football tour to Ireland! Our Tour Director and Local Guide worked so well together and kept us laughing. This was my second tour to Europe with Moostash Joe Tours and you are definitely my favorite and will consider you first when planning future trips!” (Nebraska vs Northwestern Football Ireland 2022) – Roxanne, Grand Island, NE

“My sister and I had a remarkable trip to Ireland. Such a beautiful country. The people were friendly and helpful. It was planned so well and really enjoyed it.” (Nebraska vs Northwestern Football Ireland 2022) – Nancy, Lincoln, NE

“Outstanding Tour Director and Driver. Loved the trip!” (National Parks, 2022) – Gayle, Shickley, NE

“GREAT tour! Thoroughly enjoyed it.” (Mackinac Island, 2022) – Melva, Arnold, NE

“Wonderful trip!” (Great Lakes of North America, 2022) – Ed & Shelia, Harlan, IA

“This tour was awesome!” (Great Lakes of North America, 2022) – Bonnie, Audubon, IA

“Loved the tour! So much fun!” (Nashville & Memphis, 2022) – Twylah, Burke, SD

“This was our first bus tour and we both very much enjoyed it!” (Nashville & Memphis, 2022) – Dave & Myra – Seneca, KS

“Our Tour Director and Driver were amazing! We could not have asked for anyone better. My favorite part of the trip was the prayers. I loved meeting and getting to know our fellow travelers. Our step-on guide was also amazing!” (Magnificent Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks, 2022) – Steve & LeAnn, Cut and Shoot, TX

“Our first trip but definitely not our last. Everything and everyone was great.” (Magnificent Tetons & Yellowstone National Parks, 2022) – Al & Darcy, Woodbine, IA

“Our Tour Director was wonderful! We had lots of fun with her and our fellow travelers. It was like traveling with a good friend.” (Magnificent Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks, 2022) – Mary Lou & Glen, Corning, IA

“I really enjoyed our step-on guide at Yellowstone and Teton National Parks. He was very knowledgeable and passionate!” (Magnificent Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks, 2022) – Anita, Lincoln, NE

“This was the BEST way to see these two National Parks.” (Magnificent Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks, 2022) – Jerry & Kristi, Madison, NE

“This was our favorite tour that we have been on!” (Magnificent Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks, 2022) – Denny & Ann, Carroll, IA

“Fantastic trip! Awesome Driver and Tour Director.” (Nova Scotia, 2022) – Steven & Colleen, Minden, NE

“Can’t think of anything to improve the tour! It was wonderful. Thank you for providing us with memories for a lifetime.” (Nova Scotia, 2022) – Bruce & Kathy, Aurora, NE

“This was our fourth trip with Moostash Joe Tours. Traveling with you is our favorite way to travel!” (Nova Scotia, 2022) – Tim & Deb, Manhaska, KS

“One of our favorite tours – but ALL have been wonderful!” (Mighty Grand Canyon, 2022) – Jill & Jon, Omaha, NE

“This was our first tour and we were very pleased with the quality and quantity of the attractions, accommodations, and meals.” (Canadian Rockies, 2022) – Stan & Roxy, Norfolk, NE

“This Canadian Rockies Tour was fantastic! Our Tour Director was great and our Driver did an awesome job and very courteous.” (Canadian Rockies, 2022) – Dallas & Linda, Washington, KS

“For our first bus tour, ever, it was fabulous!” (Magnificent Tetons & Yellowstone National Parks, 2022) – Curtis & Tammy, Red Cloud, NE

“My first tour and it was great. Enjoyed everyone and everything. Thanks so much!” (Destination Door County, WI, 2022) – Carol, Birmingham, IA

“This was my first tour and you have the system down perfectly! Loved every moment.” (Destination Door County, WI, 2022) – Cheryl, Fairfield, IA

“Rowley’s Bay and Chalet Landhaus Inn staff, entertainment, and experiences were excellent! Thank you to all!” (Destination Door County, WI, 2022) – Mitch & Vicki, Lincoln, NE

“Very well organized. Truly enjoyed it!” (Destination Door County, WI, 2022) – Lavon, Des Moines, IA

“This was a beautiful and amazing trip. Our Tour Director and Driver were very professional, competent and fun loving. Enjoyed it tremendously. Thank you!” (Great Parks of the Northwest, 2022) – Kathy, Jesup, IA

“Our step-on guide in Yellowstone was excellent. We also loved the Red Bus tour in Glacier National Park.” (Great Parks of the Northwest, 2022) – Mary, Jesup, IA

“I brag about your tour company to my friends! We LOVE you guys!” (Great Parks of the Northwest, 2022) – Pat, Jesup, IA

“Best trip ever! Our Tour Director and Driver were amazing. Hope to do more in the future!” (Great Pacific Coast Adventure, 2022) – Patrick & Kelly, Pulaski, IA

“This had to be our favorite tour so far. The choices to eat and accommodations were top notch. Keep up the great tours!” (Great Pacific Coast Adventure, 2022) – Karen & David, Beatrice, NE

“Overall, the tour was amazing! We saw Crater Lake, the Redwoods, San Francisco. Things we have been wanting to see for a long time.” (Great Pacific Coast Adventure, 2022) – Steve & Marilyn, Council Bluffs, IA

“Excellent tour. Don’t know how it could have been any better! Thank you!” (Ark Encounter, 2022) – Greg & Jane, Sloan, IA

“Loved it! Everything was so orderly and comfortable. Would love to travel with Moostash Joe Tours again!” (Ark Encounter, 2022) – Terry & Julie, Lindsay, NE

“I was very happy with this tour. Our Tour Director and Driver did an excellent job as well. So courteous and helpful. Will definitely take other tours.” (Awesome Niagara Falls, 2022) – Peggy, Marengo, IA

“Thoroughly enjoyed! Beautiful scenery, attractions, great dining, clean rooms and an awesome Tour Director and Driver. So hospitable. The group on the bus was lots of fun to be around. I plan to take a few more Moostash Joe Tours!” (Mackinac Island, 2022) – Linell, Grand Island, NE

“Great trip! Already planning another one with my family.” (Awesome Niagara Falls, 2022) – Sue, Burke, SD

“Overall, it was excellent!” (Awesome Niagara Falls, 2022) – Paul & Kathy, Albert City, IA

“Our hotel in Niagara Falls was the perfect place for walking and shopping. This tour was so good, and our Driver and Tour Director were incredible!” (Awesome Niagara Falls, 2022) – Cardi, Tea, SD

“Super enjoyable! Will definitely do others!” (Mackinac Island, 2022) – Ken & Colleen, Ralston, NE

“Awesome tour! It went above our expectations!” (Mississippi River Cruise Spring, 2022) – Jim & Sharon, Hastings, NE

“Our first tour and we will recommend to others. Lots of memories made. What a great group we had to travel with!” (Branson June, 2022) – Jeff & Cindy, Odebolt, IA

“This was my first tour and I loved it! Good mix of programs and activities. All were excellent! Our Tour Director and Driver were very friendly and helpful. Can’t wait to tour again!” (Branson June, 2022) – Bev, Sioux City, IA

“The whole trip was so much more than expected! For my first trip, I was pleasantly surprised!” (Branson June, 2022) – Suzanne, Bennington, NE

“This was my first tour and it was the best! Hoping to take more.” (Waco, TX and Cowboy Country, 2022) – Janice, North Platte, NE

“This was an exceptional tour! Our Tour Director and Driver were amazing. So kind and helpful.” (Waco, TX and Cowboy Country, 2022) – Suzy, Scio, OR

“We had such a good time! You’ll definitely see us again! Loved our Tour Director and Driver!” (Mackinac Island, 2022) – Rod & Lori, Newport, NE

“Excellent tour! Had a great time. A lot of memories made!” (Mackinac Island, 2022) – Kenny & Gayle, Meriden, IA

“This was a great Mystery Tour! Learned a lot and enjoyed everything. Fantastic Tour Director and awesome Driver.” (Mystery Tour “TR”, 2022) – Gary & Bethene, Blair, NE

“This was our first play tour and it was fantastic. Can’t wait to do another!” (Wicked at the Orpheum, 2022) – Mike & Aggie, Lincoln, NE

“This was my first Moostash Joe Tour and it was a success! Our Tour Director and Driver were exceptional!” (Georgia & the Carolinas, 2022) – Mona, Holdredge, NE

“Was a great tour with a great Tour Director and Driver!” (Smoky Mountain Discovery, 2022) – Joe & Marcia, Red Cloud, NE

“This was my first tour and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The itinerary was varied and I learned a lot. I also enjoyed the tours and shows.” (Smoky Mountain Discovery, 2022) – Charlotte, Council Bluffs, IA

“This was my first bus tour and it was very enjoyable. Our New York City tour was great!” (New York City Adventure, 2022) – Darlene, Avoca, IA

“Our tour guide in New York City was WONDERFUL!” (New York City Adventure, 2022) – Dave & Georgia, Lincoln, NE

“I would recommend Moostash Joe Tours to all my friends and family! Wonderful trip. Our tour director was so fun and energetic. Our driver was excellent.” (New York City Adventure, 2022) – Mary Jo, Mt. Pleasant, MI

“This was my first bus tour and it was wonderful! Met a lot of wonderful people!” (New York City Adventure, 2022) – Sharon, Artesian, SD

“Couldn’t have been better!” (Ark Encounter, 2022) – Vanessa, Glenwood, IA

“It was a great tour. Lots of fun! Loved it!” (Ark Encounter, 2022) – Fran, Lincoln, NE

“Our Tour Director and Driver were absolutely fantastic in caring for the needs of the travelers. We look forward to our next tour with Moostash Joe Tours!” (California & Great Parks, 2022) – Gene & Linda, Fremont, NE

“This was my 14th tour! It was great.” (Branson Spring, 2022) – Gary, Decatur, NE

“Overall, I am not necessarily a bus tour person, but am considering differently after this experience!” (Branson Spring, 2022) – JoAnn, Sequim, WA

“A wonderful experience!” (Branson Spring, 2022) – Joyce, Arroyo Grande, CA

“We enjoyed this tour so much and got to see many of the places on our bucket list. Our Tour Director and Driver were awesome, kind, helpful, friendly and knowledgeable!” (Georgia & the Carolinas, 2022) – Bruce & Linda, Crete, NE

“The DC tour was terrific! Our tour director was fantastic and our driver did a great job.” (Washington, D.C. Spring, 2022) – Sharon, Columbus, NE

“We just returned from the Sandhill Crane Migration Tour. It was a great two days! Our tour director was so knowledgeable and a terrific person to have on the tour. Our driver was wonderful and we felt very safe and taken care of.” (Sandhill Crane Migration, 2022) – Bob & Mary Lou, Lincoln, NE

“This was a wonderful tour! Our Tour Director did an amazing job. This was an amazing group of people to travel with. Our hotels were excellent. And you can’t be our Driver. Thanks for another great tour!” (Grand Canyon by Rail, 2022) – Jenny, Arnold, NE

“We enjoyed this trip so much and met wonderful traveling friends! We are celebrating our 50th Anniversary this year and this was the start of our celebration!” (Grand Canyon by Rail, 2022) – Gerald & Linda, Ithaca, NE

“What a wonder! You have to see the Grand Canyon – pictures do not do it justice. The train rides were so special. The food was way overboard. Wildlife was fun to see. Than you for a great trip!” (Grand Canyon by Rail, 2022) – Mike & Aggie, Lincoln, NE

“Everything was great. We’ve taken 8 trips with Moostash Joe Tours and never had a bad one. Our Tour Director and Driver couldn’t have been better!” (Grand Canyon by Rail, 2022) – Stan & Myra, Council Bluffs, IA

“We liked the meals, train ride, everything! Excellent tour. We want to take another!” (Grand Canyon by Rail, 2022) – Randy & Elaine, St. Helena, NE

“Great hotel, restaurants and tour! Highly recommend this tour.” (Sandhill Crane Migration, 2022) – Lorene, Omaha, NE

“Excellent tour with the utmost best tour director and driver!” (Nashville & Memphis, 2022) – Robina, Omaha, NE

“Our Tour Director was great. Very professional. She took care of everything. Great sense of humor!” (Nashville & Memphis, 2022) – Dewey & Kim – Fairfax, SD

“Our Tour Director and Driver were such a great team. Best trip! Many memories made.” (Coastal Florida, 2022) – Cathy & Darrel, Seward, NE

“Really great trip! Very well planned.” (Coastal Florida, 2022) – Jim & Sally, Omaha, NE

“To everyone at Moostash Joe Tours, thank you so much for helping us celebrate Christmas in Branson! We enjoyed every part of it. Our tour director was so much fun and knowledgeable. We always felt relaxed and safe with our driver. We will spread the word that Moostash Joe is the way to go!” (Branson Christmas, 2021) – Bruce & Valerie, Palmyra, NE

“Loved the trip! Would like to do more in the future.” (Ultimate Mystery Christmas, 2021) – Jan, La Vista, NE

“This was our first Mystery Tour. We really enjoyed it! So many fun things to do!” (Ultimate Mystery Christmas, 2021) – Allen & Sharon, Lincoln, NE

“It was all awesome! Very much enjoyed the tour. Everyone was so friendly.” (Branson Christmas, 2021) – Linda, Howells, NE

“This was so amazing! Our tour director and driver felt like family. They did such a wonderful job.” (Branson Christmas, 2021) – Stephanie, Howells, NE

“This was our first Moostash Joe Tour and it will not be our last! Our tour director was exceptional. Funny, entertaining and full of interesting information. Our driver was also fantastic. We had an amazing time and look forward to another trip with Moostash Joe Tours!” (Branson Christmas, 2021) – Sherman & Julie, Holdrege, NE

“Our tour director and driver were amazing. All facets of this trip was exceptional. This was my favorite tour!” (Nashville Country Christmas, 2021) – Cardi, Tea, SD 

“You people are the best!” (Nashville Country Christmas, 2021) – Jeri, Alta, IA

“Thank you for the best trip ever!” (Nashville Country Christmas, 2021) – Diane, Columbus, NE

“Our tour director was excellent. Very knowledgeable, fun-loving, kind. Our driver also was excellent.” (Branson Christmas, 2021) – Rose & Jerry, West Point, NE

“My first bus tour and I loved it! Worth every penny. I will do it again! Great driver and tour director.” (Branson Christmas, 2021) – Kathy, Syracuse, NE

“Excellent transportation, service and accommodations! We loved all the entertainment!” (Branson Christmas, 2021) – Don & Rae, Pender, NE

“All of the shows were very enjoyable. Our driver was courteous and helpful. Our tour director was delightful.” (Branson Christmas, 2021) – Linda, Lincoln, NE

“Everything on the tour was excellent! Extremely well organized. All the shows were top notch. We were especially blown away by “Jesus” at Sight & Sound Theatre. Our tour director was a joy and a blessing. Our driver was extremely respectful engaging and protecting. Thank you!” (Branson Christmas, 2021) – Paul & Lorrie, Omaha, NE

“Our step-on guide with us made the trip even more enjoyable with his organization, vast knowledge of each stop, the best schedule to avoid delays and the best lighting for pictures. The accommodations and meals were really nice as well. Thank you!” (Utah’s Mighty 5, 2021) – Cheryl, Burwell, NE

“Wonderful, wonderful experience. Our tour director and driver were awesome. Would definitely do another Moostash Joe Tour in the future!” (Ark Encounter, 2021) – Linda, Roca, NE

“This was our first bus tour and it turned out to be a great experience. Our tour director helped make the trip enjoyable and informative and made everyone feel comfortable and at east. Our driver kept us safe in all the traffic. Hopefully we will be able to take another Moostash Joe Tour in the future!” (Autumn in New England, 2021) – Wayne & Debbie, Lincoln, NE

“We had an AMAZING time on the Autumn in New England tour. Our tour director and driver made this trip truly memorable. Not only did we get to see all of the sights that we expected to see, but what made this trip so enjoyable was the comradery on the bus. Our entire group shared so many laughs. And we never had to worry about a thing! We are already planning to take another trip together. A special thank you to the wonderful and kind folks in the office!” (Autumn in New England, 2021) – Jerry & Alecia, Adel, IA

“We just wanted to mention how much we enjoyed our tour to the northeast. This trip was our first guided bus tour of any kind. Our tour director was fantastic! Thank you for a such a wonderful experience.” (Autumn in New England, 2021) – Kevin & Cheryl, Wahoo, NE

“We wanted to express our sincere thanks for a great Autumn in New England trip. This was our first tour with Moostash Joe Tours and it was nothing but positive. Your office staff are always friendly and helpful. Our tour director was great! I’m sure we’ll be traveling again with Moostash Joe Tours!” (Autumn in New England, 2021) – Everett & Sharon, Fremont, NE

“Very enjoyable time. Our driver was professional and accommodating. I always felt safe with his driving. Our tour director was wonderful.” (Branson Autumn Adventure, 2021) – Melanie, Brighton, CO

“I loved this tour! Dogwood Canyon was something I’ve never seen before and very much enjoyed it. Clay Cooper’s show was outstanding and Jesus at Sight & Sound Theatre was amazing!” (Branson Autumn Adventure, 2021) – Janet, Fremont, NE

“It’s difficult to make a suggestion for improvement when the tour is perfect!” (Branson Autumn Adventure, 2021) – Marcia, Bellevue, NE

“This was our first bus tour and it was FANTASTIC!” (Utah’s Mighty 5, 2021) – Corky & Paula, Fedora, SD

“Really enjoyed the tour. This was my first tour with Moostash Joe Tours and will highly recommend to my friends!” (Utah’s Mighty 5, 2021) – Marilyn, Ord, NE

“Great trip all around! Moostash Joe Tours are always excellent.” (Utah’s Mighty 5, 2021) – Nancy, Wayne, NE

“Thank you! Our tour director and driver were among the best that we’ve ever traveled with, and we’ve been to every continent except Antarctica!” (Ark Encounter, 2021) – Hank & Pam, Norfolk, NE

“Excellent itinerary! Our tour director was top notch!” (Smoky Mountain Discovery Autumn, 2021) – John & Nancy, Omaha, NE

“This was my first trip and everything was excellent!” (Grand Canyon by Rail, 2021) – Jenny, Clarion, IA

“Loved Mackinac Island! The tour was great and enjoyed the shopping time. Once again a fun tour!” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2021) – Barb, Atlantic, IA

“The trip was a complete success! Our tour director was courteous, friendly and die a wonderful job. The hotels and food was great. I enjoyed all the stops, especially Mackinac Island. Thank you for a wonderful time!” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2021) – Judy, Pleasant Dale, NE

“This tour was wonderful! Our driver was excellent and very safe. Our tour director was a joy to share the trip with and was kind and pleasant. I will be ready to travel with Moostash Joe Tours again!” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2021) – Jan, Pleasant Dale, NE

“I would like to say, this has been a trip of a lifetime. I wish we had a Moostash Joe Tours location in Atlanta!” (Autumn in New England, 2021) – Janice, Villa Rica, GA

“Awesome tour!” (Autumn in New England, 2021) – Sheryl, Fond du Lac, WI

“Our driver made the trip relaxing and inspired confidence in our safety. Our tour director always worked to ensure smooth transitions and scheduling. Excellent tour!” (Autumn in New England, 2021) – Debra, Omaha, NE

“This was our first tour with Moostash Joe Tours and we want to express our thanks for a wonderful trip! Our tour director gave us so much information and we saw so many interesting places. Our driver was awesome and so patient. All the people on the bus were a lot of fun to be around. Deciding which trip we want to take next!” (Autumn in New England, 2021) – Dave & Georgia, Lincoln, NE

“Great tour! So many sights, information and variety of experiences. Really enjoyed everything.” (Trains & Cruises of New England, 2021) – Linda, Anita, IA

“It is so good to be traveling again!” (Trains & Cruises of New England, 2021) – Carlotta, Tea, SD

“The tour was very good. We loved everything about it! Will definitely do more.” (Trains & Cruises of New England, 2021) – Don & Dianne, Yankton, SD

“We love traveling with Moostash Joe Tours. This tour was very enjoyable, as always.” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2021) – Rich & Cheri, Kingsley, IA

“We so appreciated your office and their flexibility with my family!” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2021) – Kathy, Allen, NE

“The tour was great. Very interesting. And I loved getting up close to the balloons!” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2021) – Deb, Sisseton, SD

“Great planning which is hard nowadays! Appreciated the time and effort to keep us all safe.” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2021) – Adell, Norfolk, NE

“This was my first trip with Moostash Joe Tours and I loved it! Our tour director did a fantastic job. And our driver was also very good. I enjoyed the event and meals. Good food, good service. And I always felt like part of a big family. Thank you for a wonderful time.” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2021) – Sue, Lake Park, IA

“Loved this tour! Can’t wait to travel with Moostash Joe Tours again.” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2021) – Carol, Allen, NE

“This was our first tour with Moostash Joe Tours. It was absolutely great in all respects! Our tour director and driver were amazingly good.” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2021) – Jane & Bob, Lincoln, NE

“I enjoyed every minute of the tour!” (Waco, Texas and Cowboy Country, 2021) – Paige, Kearney, NE

“This was my first tour and it exceeded my expectations!” (Waco, Texas and Cowboy Country, 2021) – Tina, Bennington, NE

“A wonderful trip with such a great group of people. So many new friends! I absolutely loved the morning devotions. They started the day on such a beautiful note. Our tour director and driver were so wonderful and accommodating. True professionals and great people. Thank you!” (Waco, Texas and Cowboy Country, 2021) – Karin, Bellevue, NE

“Wonderful tour with wonderful people! Can’t wait to go on the next one!” (Waco, Texas and Cowboy Country, 2021) – Brenda, Kearney, NE

“I absolutely loved this tour! I didn’t want to go home!” (Waco, Texas and Cowboy Country, 2021) – Kay, Arbor Village, WI

“You can’t improve on perfection. It’s like traveling with family but only better!” (Autumn in New England, 2021) – Kaye & Kerry, Fort Dodge, IA

“We loved the tour! This was our first time but we’re sure it won’t be our last!” (Autumn in New England, 2021) – Jerry & Alecia, Adel, IA

“This was my first tour and it was a great experience!” (Autumn in New England, 2021) – Gloria, Overland Park, KS

“This was very enjoyable. Our tour director and driver were very professional and helpful.” (Autumn in New England, 2021) – Connie & Leonard, Richland Center, WI

“Our tour director and driver were extraordinarily caring and helpful!” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2021) – Kathleen, Omaha, NE

“We had a lot of fun. Both our tour director and driver were fun, knowledgeable and professional. Thank you!” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2021) – Tom & Heather, Lincoln, NE

“Fantastic trip with exciting locations. Our tour director and driver were the perfect team. They worked so well together to ensure our safety throughout the trip. We look forward to future travels with Moostash Joe Tours!” (Trains and Cruises of New England, 2021) – Dave & Jan, Elkhorn, NE

“This was my first trip and I loved it. Will definitely be doing more. Thank you for making it available to us!” (Autumn in New England, 2021) – Kim, Newman Grove, NE

“The tour was awesome!” (Autumn in New England, 2021) – Carol, Manhattan, KS

“I love Moostash Joe Tours!” (Eureka Springs & Branson, 2021) – Debra, Virginia Beach, VA

“Our driver and tour director were absolutely amazing!” (Eureka Springs & Branson, 2021) – JoAnne, Pierce, NE 

“All the stops were great! I learned a lot. And appreciated the history. Outstanding tour. Best out of the three I’ve been on so far!’ (Beautiful Cape Cod, 2021) – Diana, Kearney, NE

“This was my first tour but definitely not my last! What a great trip. Our Tour Director and Driver were amazing!” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2021) – Kathy, Arlington, NE

“This was our 6th tour and have enjoyed every one of them!” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2021) – Rich & Charlene, Duncan, NE

“It was WONDERFUL! I loved Mackinac Island and Door County!” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2021) – Marci, Wood River, NE

“It was great! Would not change a thing!” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2021) – Cindy, Franklin, NE

“This was my first tour and it was amazing!” (Nebraska @ Oklahoma Football, 2021) – Sandy, Fremont, NE

“Everything was wonderful!” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2021) – Char, Columbus, NE

“Our tour director and driver could not have been better!” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2021) – Dennis & Connie, Logan, IA

“I thought the whole trip was excellent! It was worth flying from Alaska to Omaha to join. Great group of people.” (National Parks, 2021) – Laraine, Juneau, AK

“Everything was excellent! Our tour director and driver were outstanding.” (National Parks, 2021) – Jerry, Urbandale, IA

We enjoyed the tour! Our tour director was a great host. And our driver was wonderful. Really enjoyed the sites and activities planned. We can’t wait to go again!” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2021) – Tom & Marsha, Lincoln, NE

“I laughed the whole time! One of the best times of my life.” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2021) – Stella, York, NE

“This was my first trip and really enjoyed everything!” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2021) – Lenny & Sue, Linwood, NE

“This was my first tour and I had a wonderful time. Loved every minute. Thank you!” (Great Lakes of North America, 2021) – Judy, Bonner Springs, KS

“Overall the tour was great and sites visited were awesome! Looking forward to traveling with Moostash Joe Tours again!” (Great Lakes of North America, 2021) – Allen & Janice, Ogallala, NE

“Great trip! Loved the variety!” (Great Lakes of North America, 2021) – Darla, Avon, SD

“Both the Tour Director and Driver went above and beyond all expectations! Thanks so much!” (Nashville and Memphis, 2021) – Gary & Lois, West Point, NE

“Overall an excellent experience. I can’t wait to do another Moostash Joe Tour!” (Nashville and Memphis, 2021) – Joann, Ord, NE

“Enjoyed this tour immensely!” (Nashville and Memphis, 2021) – Kelly & Lois, Naper, NE

“Very fun Mystery Tour!” (Mystery Tour “BS”) – Don & Judy, Columbus, NE

“Our Tour Director and Driver did a fantastic job and were personable and kind to everyone. Safety was never a concern. We would love to travel with them again!” (Mighty Grand Canyon, 2021) – Murry & Marylyn, Grand Island, NE

“Everything was great! We had a wonderful time this week! We will surely miss everyone!” (Mighty Grand Canyon, 2021) – Ken & Marilyn, Madison, NE

“I’ve been on 15 Moostash Joe Tours since 2001. Our Tour Director, Becky, and Driver, Stu, were the best! This was a very enjoyable tour.” (Mighty Grand Canyon, 2021) – Frank & Hermine, Waterloo, NE

“Great time! Our Tour Director and Driver were great and very helpful. You can tell Moostash Joe Tours is a great company when you have great employees!” (Mighty Grand Canyon, 2021) – Sydney, Chappell, NE

“An awesome trip! Thank you!” (Mighty Grand Canyon, 2021) – Jeannene, Omaha, NE

“This was my first bus tour and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Great fellowship and very informative.” (Magnificent Tetons & Yellowstone National Parks, 2021) – Janice, Naperville, IL

“I loved this tour and would recommend it to everyone!” (Magnificent Tetons & Yellowstone National Parks, 2021) – Amanda, Omaha, NE

“Our Tour Director and Driver did an awesome job. Had a great time! Liked all activities planned.” (Black Hills and Badlands, 2021) – Gayle, Shickley, NE

“Excellent tour! Was happy that each day had lots of sightseeing and activities. Our Tour Director and Driver were fantastic!! Hope to go on another tour soon.” (Black Hills and Badlands, 2021) – Donna, Geneva, NE

“Our Tour Director and Driver treated us like family! Lots of fun. Kind to everyone.” (Great Parks of the Northwest, 2021) – Donna, Seneca, KS

“Loved seeing Yellowstone, Grand Tetons and especially Glacier National Park. The Red Bus Tour of Glacier was FANTASTIC!” (Great Parks of the Northwest, 2021) – Jim & Colleen, Omaha, NE

“The tour was great! We couldn’t have had a better tour director and driver!” (Great Parks of the Northwest, 2021) – Jim & Bev, Humphrey, NE

“We have taken numerous tours and Tour Director Doug was one of the best guides we’ve ever had!” (Great Pacific Coast Adventure, 2021) – Bob & Jane, Elkhorn, NE

“We have never been disappointed in a Moostash Joe Tour! Our Tour Director and Driver were outstanding! A+++!” (Great Pacific Coast Adventure, 2021) – Wes & Norma, Lincoln, NE

“There was always a lot of laughter and chatting each day!” (Great Pacific Coast Adventure, 2021) – Kathie, Beemer, NE

“All of the tours I have been on were wonderful! Just keep doing what you’re doing!” (Destination Door County, WI, 2021) – Jeri, Alta, IA

“This was my first tour and it was so much fun! Thank you so much for all the work you put into making this a great trip!” (Destination Door County, WI, 2021) – Jacki, Ralston, NE

“The food was outstanding! Really enjoyed the storyteller and the fish boil!” (Destination Door County, WI, 2021) – Bev, Harlan, IA

“Great trip! Our Tour Director and Driver were great!” (Colorado Train Adventure, 2021) – Gina, Denison, IA

“Loved the time we had to go shopping or relaxing!” (Galena, IL Getaway, 2021) – Cindy, Columbus, NE

“Very enjoyable, relaxing tour.” (Galena, IL Getaway, 2021) – Herb & Kathie, Wahoo, NE

“This was our first tour with Moostash Joe Tours and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Niagara Falls from the US side was beautiful!” (Awesome Niagara Falls, 2021) – Pete & Linda, Kearney, NE

“It was well organized, on-time, clean and our Tour Director and Driver were the BEST!” (Awesome Niagara Falls, 2021) – Norman & Bernadine, Beatrice, NE

“I haven’t been on a tour before, but I can’t wait for more!” (Awesome Niagara Falls, 2021) – Gina, Denison, IA

“Tour Director Diane and Driver Doug were excellent. Loved Diane’s humor. And Doug is safe at every mile he drives.” (Mackinac Island Spring, 2021) – Terry & Sharon, Council Bluffs, IA

“Our Tour Director and Driver were outstanding. Would love to go on more tours with them!” (Mackinac Island Spring, 2021) – Dennis & Linda, Norfolk, NE

“It was a wonderful trip. We loved our Tour Director and Driver. They are awesome!” (Mississippi River Cruise Spring, 2021) – John & Sandy, Volen, SD

“Both our Tour Director, Kay, and Driver, Angela, were helpful, fun and all around good people. We would definitely travel with both of them again!” (Mississippi River Cruise Spring, 2021) – Marvin & Paula, Parker, SD

“Enjoyed my first tour. Would recommend to others. Was a great way to travel!” (Branson June Superstars, 2021) – Renee, Clarkson, NE

“Very pleased with the entire tour. The food and service was exceptionally good.” (Branson June Superstars, 2021) – Norm & Joyce, Glenwood, MN

“Great trip! Our Tour Director, as usual, was excellent. Loved Dogwood Canyon. The shows were wonderful. Thank you for another great tour!” (Branson June Superstars, 2021) – Jenny, Arnold, NE

“We always get our money’s worth on Moostash Joe Tours! Thank you!” (Branson June Superstars, 2021) – Diane, Denison, IA

“Always felt safe and was well informed of all surroundings.” (Mackinac Island Spring, 2021) – Judy, Wayne, NE

“Mackinac Island has been on my bucket list for years. I was so happy to get to see it! (Mackinac Island Spring, 2021) – Mary Jo, Coleridge, NE

“My wife and I have been to all seven continents. We’ve traveled extensively. Our Tour Director, Virginia, was one of the best we’ve ever had!” (Mackinac Island Spring, 2021) – Jerry & Kristi, Madison, SD

“Really enjoyed Mackinac Island! All of our stops were great. Enjoyed the amount of free time we were given to shop and look around on our own.” (Mackinac Island Spring, 2021) – Tami, North Bend, NE

“This was my first bus tour and it was GREAT! I will be looking for more!” (Mackinac Island Spring, 2021) – Sandi, Omaha, NE

It was a great time! All of the travelers were very friendly. Our Tour Director and Driver were great!” (Ark Encounter, 2021) – Barb, Ralston, NE

“This was a most wonderful tour!” (Ark Encounter, 2021) – Nancy, Lexington, NE

“This was my fourth Mystery Tour with Moostash Joe Tours and all were wonderful with with interesting places seen and marvelous surprises.” (Mystery Tour TR, 2021) – Jean, Omaha, NE

“Thoroughly enjoyed the tour!” (Mystery Tour TR, 2021) – Frances, Houston, TX

“Very enjoyable first tour with Moostash Joe Tours. What fun! Looking forward to the next one!” (Mystery Tour TR, 2021) – Larry & Mary, Lincoln, NE

“I really enjoyed the tour. I loved Charleston, Savannah and Tybee Island, GA! Our Tour Director and Driver were excellent!” (Georgia and the Carolinas Spring, 2021) – Shelley, Kearney, NE

“We enjoyed the tour. We will look forward to another tour in the future!” (Georgia and the Carolinas Spring, 2021) – Rod & Janelle, Norfolk, NE

“Great time. Always felt safe. Loved the devotions every morning.” (Gulf Coast Adventure, 2021) – Gloria, Fremont, NE

“This was a great tour of the Gulf Coast! Loved the Blue Angels. The food was also excellent.” (Gulf Coast Adventure, 2021) – Donna, Rochester, MN

“The tour to Branson was extremely enjoyable and relaxing. A perfect time to get away from all the crazy in our world, and just be thankful!” (Branson Spring Superstars, 2021) – Penny, Lincoln, NE

“Our Tour Director and Driver made an awesome team! They were very helpful, informative and went above and beyond. We had a great time!” (Branson Spring Superstars, 2021) – Roger, Seward, NE

“I have been on several tours with Moostash Joe Tours and enjoy them all. Looking forward to many more in the future!” (Branson Spring Superstars, 2021) – Pat, St. Joseph, MO

“Our Tour Director and Driver were wonderful. The shows and meals were excellent!” (Branson Spring Superstars, 2021) – Cardi, Tea, SD

“This was a very enjoyable two day tour. Moostash Joe Tours goes above and beyond to be accommodating.” (Mystery Tour “S”, 2021) – Kathie, Wahoo, NE

“This was our first tour and we will for sure be going on more! Our tour director was great and our driver was very friendly and professional. Good job! (Mystery Tour “S”, 2021) – Linda, Papillion, NE

“We have traveled several times with Moostash Joe Tours, but this was our first Mystery Tour and it was very enjoyable! We will certainly look forward to planning another one.” (Mystery Tour “S”, 2021) – Marilyn & Steve, Papillion, NE

“This was my first time on a bus tour. I was so impressed! My daughter asked if I would go again!” (Branson Christmas, 2020) – Sherry, Papillion, NE

“This was my first trip with you. I loved everything! Our Tour Director and Driver were excellent. Even my shuttle driver from Norfolk to Fremont was wonderful as well.” (Branson Christmas, 2020) – Rhonda, Norfolk, NE

“Wonderful trip with all of the changes and stumbling blocks due to COVID. Very well planned and executed. Congrats on a #1 tour!” (Branson Christmas, 2020) – Rita, Omaha, NE

I had an awesome time. Our Tour Director made me feel so welcome. Our Driver was fantastic. I always felt like I was in good hands.” (Branson Christmas, 2020) – Jeanie, York, NE

“Fantastic tour! The Tour Director and Driver were exceptional. This was my first tour and will definitely go again!” (Branson Christmas, 2020) – Connie, Newman Grove, NE

“I was very pleased about the COVID precautions that were in place, especially having hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes available. It was apparent that you paid very close attention to detail.” (Branson Christmas, 2020) – Joan, Audubon, IA

“Really enjoyed our Tour Director and Driver. I loved everything about this trip. I felt so safe, and I ate too much! All the shows were fantastic. (Branson Christmas, 2020) – Linda, Fremont, NE

“The tour overcame all of the health obstacles we are encountering. Keep up the good work!” (Branson Christmas, 2020) – Bonnie, Casa Grande, AZ 

“I thought the tour was very well-planned and enjoyable! The hotels were also very nice.” (Caribbean Cruise Getaway, 2020) – LaVonne, Wisner, NE

“Both our Tour Director and Driver did an excellent job of making this tour so enjoyable!” (Nashville and Memphis Spring, 2020) – Kenny & Elaine, Omaha, NE

“This was our first tour with Moostash Joe Tours. Everything from start to finish was excellent!” (Nashville and Memphis Spring, 2020) – Gene & LuAnn, Mason City, IA

“I loved the Ocala Horse Farm Tour, Ft. Myers Sunset Dinner Cruise, our time in Key West and the Kennedy Space Center!” (Coastal Florida Beaches, 2020) – Lois, Lincoln, NE

“I enjoyed all the fresh seafood! The events were varied and interesting – something for everyone. Our Tour Director and Driver were great!” (Coastal Florida Beaches, 2020) – Mary, Utica, NE

“This was our 23rd tour with Moostash Joe Tours and it ranks as one of the best! (Fun in the Sun, 2020) – Jerry & Jan, Lincoln, NE

“This tour was much better than our last tour with another tour company!” (Fun in the Sun, 2020) – Marshall & Barb, Oakland, IA

“This Nashville and Memphis trip was excellent. Our Tour Director was exceptional and Driver was wonderful.” (Nashville and Memphis Spring, 2020) – Judith, Niobrara, NE

“We traveled as a group of 8 family members and were so honored to travel on your tour!” (Nashville and Memphis Spring, 2020) – Dennis, Wathena, KS

“I am so excited to go on another trip!” (Nashville and Memphis Spring, 2020) – Kathy, Beemer, NE

“This was our first bus tour and it was great! We hope to travel with Moostash Joe Tours again!” (Best of Texas, 2020) – Randy & Betsy, Belleville, KS

“This was a great tour. Our tour guide and driver were the best we’ve ever had!” (Best of Texas, 2020) – Randy & Adrianna, Norfolk, NE

“I loved this!” (Orpheum Broadway Series – Les Miserables, 2020) – Nancy, Falls City, NE

“It was my first time on a tour and it won’t be my last!” (Orpheum Broadway Series – Les Miserables, 2020) – Judy, Norfolk, NE

“Hamilton was AWESOME! The restaurant choices were great, as was our hotel and its location.” (Chicago Christmas with Hamilton, 2019) – Konnie, Malvern, IA

“So thankful I could be on this tour! Another one of my favorites!” (Christmas at The Broadmoor, 2019) – Shirley, Norfolk, NE

“Really liked the casual atmosphere. Really nice accommodations and a variety of food choices. Every trip I take gets better and better!” (Christmas at The Broadmoor, 2019) – Kathy, North Platte, NE

“Absolutely tops! All entertainment was great and all food was great.” (Ultimate Mystery Christmas, 2019) – Grace, Blair, NE

“Everything was well organized. Our Tour Director kept us happy and laughing. We could just relax and enjoy!” (Ultimate Mystery Christmas, 2019) – Charles & Margie, Fremont, NE

“Really enjoyed this tour! Great Tour Director and Driver.” (Kansas City Christmas, 2019) – Craig & Joanne, Crete, NE

“Our Tour Director and Driver made this a wonderful experience!” (Nashville Country Christmas, 2019) – Joel, Tabor, IA

“We were very impressed with the tour! The attractions were very interesting and the food was amazing. It was hassle-free traveling!” (San Antonio Christmas, 2019) – Mike & Paula, Fremont, NE

“Your tour company is wonderful! Way better than others I have traveled with!” (San Antonio Christmas, 2019) – Sherry, Council Bluffs, IA

“Great shows! Our Tour Director was so knowledgeable of the Branson area. Our Driver was also very good. They made for a fun and safe trip.” (Branson Christmas, 2019) – Randy & Jeanne, Bancroft, NE

“It was great. I sure said “WOW” a lot!” (Branson Christmas, 2019) – Bonnie, North Platte, NE

“Everything was over the top! I don’t know how it could’ve been any better.” (Branson Christmas, 2019) – Marcia, Bellevue, NE

“Wonderful tour! I enjoyed every day!” (Branson Christmas, 2019) – Carmen, North Platte, NE

“Christmas was an excellent time to take this tour! The Christmas lights at the Creation Museum and at the Ark Encounter were unbelievable!” (Ark Encounter Christmas, 2019) – Juanita & Al, Gretna, NE

“We have been on many bus tours and really enjoyed this one! Our first Moostash Joe tour was sixteen years ago!” (Ark Encounter Christmas, 2019) – Bill & Mary Ellen, Gretna, NE

“Really had a great time! Everything was very well done and we were well taken care of. We really enjoyed it!” (Blue Christmas, 2019) – Charles & Marianne, Omaha, NE

“Our Tour Director and Driver worked so well together and made it an amazing tour to an amazing place. We were treated very well and had a fabulous time!” (Blue Christmas, 2019) – Marianne, Lincoln, NE

“Enjoyed the tour very much! Lots of fun and laughter!” (Blue Christmas, 2019) – Erin, Bloomfield, NE

“This was a very nice tour! Our favorite stops were Ellis Island, the 9/11 Museum and Memorial and both the Broadway Shows!” (New York City Christmas Spectacular, 2019) – Laura & Traci, Sioux City, IA

“This was an awesome tour. We had a great group of people to travel with. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum was so emotional. Our Tour Director was so great and made her way to every guest. Loved it!” (New York City Christmas Spectacular, 2019) – Jean, Bassett, NE

“Keep doing what you are doing! This tour was amazing!” (Branson Christmas, 2019) – Tami, Lyons, NE

“Our Tour Director was super! So personable and fun yet very professional. Our Driver also did a fantastic job and was very helpful.” (Branson Christmas, 2019) – Rick & Connie, Fremont, NE

“Great seating for all of our shows!” (Branson Christmas, 2019) – Patty, Plainview, NE

“This was the best Branson tour we’ve ever taken.” (Branson Christmas, 2019) – Virgil & Cindy, Lewis, IA

“Excellent shows! Our Tour Director was the greatest. Tons of fun!” (Branson Christmas, 2019) – Carl & Barb, Fremont, NE

“This was our first tour with Moostash Joe Tours and we had a very enjoyable time. It was very well organized.” (Branson Christmas, 2019) – Hugh & Dee, Irene, SD

“I loved the shows that we saw this year!” (Branson Christmas, 2019) – Kay, Elkhorn, NE

“This was the best Branson tour I have taken. The shows selected were all great.” (Branson Christmas, 2019) – Patty, Elkhorn, NE

“Really enjoyed our trip. Our Tour Director and Driver were both so helpful and friendly. Excited to take another tour!” (Branson Christmas, 2019) – Keith & Lynnell, Coleridge, NE

“This tour was much better than tours we have taken with other tour companies. Our Tour Director was on top of everything and did a really good job of keeping us informed!” (Branson Christmas, 2019) – Tom & Donna, West Valley, UT

“We have been on several Moostash Joe Tours and have always been very happy with the facilities, Tour Directors and Drivers. Everyone is always very professional and friendly.” (Branson Christmas, 2019) – Lyle & Karen, Lincoln, NE

“Our Tour Director and Driver were excellent. Always cheerful, caring, helpful and informative. Daniel O’Donnell and Yakov Smirnoff were also excellent.” (Branson Christmas, 2019) – Marcene, Wahoo, NE

“Great shows! Our Tour Director was also GREAT! She reached out to each and every one of us on the bus. I was especially appreciative of her morning devotions on the bus. What a blessing to have her with us.” (Branson Christmas, 2019) – Gayle, Papillion, NE

“This was a great trip! The shows were all very good. I really enjoyed Dogwood Canyon! I want to go back!” (Branson Christmas, 2019) – Judy, Salina, KS

“Loved the variety of shows. Really enjoyed Dogwood Canyon. Great Tour Director and Driver.” (Branson Christmas, 2019) – Dwain & Judy, Fremont, NE

“Best tour I’ve taken with Moostash Joe Tours! Great food and best Tour Director.” (Nebraska vs. Purdue Football, 2019) – Mary, Leavenworth, KS

“I have taken several tours and have enjoyed them all. Always well-planned and affordable in comparison to other tour companies.” (Nebraska vs. Purdue Football, 2019) – Reta, Tekamah, NE

“Had a great time! Enjoyed the dinner shows a lot. Food was excellent. Also like the train ride and the Abbey.” (Arkansas Autumn, 2019) – Nancy, Tyndall, SD

“The whole tour was very enjoyable. I especially loved the step-on guides and the train ride.” (Arkansas Autumn, 2019) – Ken & Janice, Omaha, NE

“Our Tour Director was so efficient and thought of every detail. Our Driver made the trip with ease so you could just sit back, relax and enjoy the journey!” (Waco, Texas and Magnolia Market at the Silos, 2019) – Linda, Papillion, NE

“This was my first motorcoach tour and really enjoyed it!” (Waco, Texas and Magnolia Market at the Silos, 2019) – Carol, Venice, FL

“Our Tour Director was an absolute joy! Our Driver was awesome. The “Fixer Upper” tour in Waco was excellent – I learned so much I didn’t know!” (Waco, Texas and Magnolia Market at the Silos, 2019) – Lynne, Omaha, NE

“I really enjoyed the entire trip. It was once in a lifetime!” (Trains and Cruises of New England, 2019) – Kathy, Lexington, NC

“This was a very well planned and organized tour. Our Tour Director and Driver were exceptional.” (Trains and Cruises of New England, 2019) – Don & Eileen, Lincoln, NE

“I have never taken a tour before and I thought this one was first rate! I do not think this trip could have been any better.” (Trains and Cruises of New England, 2019) – Harold, Omaha, NE

“Really everything was wonderful. Would recommend to others. I appreciated the daily devotions on the bus!” (Ark Encounter, 2019) – Vern & Linda, Walnut, IA

“Enjoyed the trip! It was a wonderful time. Loved the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum. They exceeded my expectations.” (Ark Encounter, 2019) – Carol, Kearney, NE

“This was our tenth tour with Moostash Joe Tours. Excellent as always.” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2019) – Roland & Shirley, Omaha, NE

“Great trip – fun, entertaining, educational. Awesome experience!” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2019) – Jan, Superior, NE

“It was a wonderful trip! Well organized, outstanding attractions, excellent Tour Director, Driver and accommodations.” (Arkansas Autumn, 2019) – Dennis & Judy, Crete, NE

“This tour was our most favorite of all of the tours we’ve been on so far. The dinner theatre, train ride and art center was so fun – we basically enjoyed everything about the tour!” (Arkansas Autumn, 2019) – Denny & Ann, Carroll, IA

“We LOVED this tour! New Orleans was awesome! The swamp tour was absolutely incredible! We loved being at one location for three nights.” (New Orleans, 2019) – Mike & Deb, Yankton, SD

“We have thoroughly enjoyed our first tour with Moostash Joe Tours. Our Tour Director was the best tour director we’ve ever had over our years of travel.” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2019) – George & Carol, Fort Oglethorpe, GA

“Everything was very good. Our Tour Director was wonderful, enjoyable and kept things fun!” (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2019) – Don & Judy, Wichita, KS

“I enjoyed EVERY minute of this tour. I have driven everywhere and for the first time could just relax and enjoy!” (Washington, D.C. Autumn, 2019) – Rose, Central City, NE

“Our Tour Director and Driver were just great! They went above and beyond to be helpful and informative. They really made the tour special and fun.” (Trains and Cruises of New England, 2019) – Lloyd & Linda, Alta, IA

“This was our first tour and we really enjoyed it. Excellent Tour Director and Driver!” (Trains and Cruises of New England, 2019) – Mark & Kaye, Pacific Junction, IA

“Fabulous (as usual) trip!” (Trains and Cruises of New England, 2019) – Fred & Barbara, Kansas City, MO

“It was my first bus tour experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Great Tour Director and Driver!” (Waco, Texas and Magnolia Market at the Silos, 2019) – Barb, Storm Lake, IA

“This was our first bus tour and we had an excellent time!” (Branson October Super Stars, 2019) – Marilyn, Omaha, NE

“Our Tour Director and Driver were friendly, efficient and helpful – what remarkable assets to your company!” (Nebraska vs. Minnesota Football, 2019) – Larry & Kathy, Crete, NE

“Great experience! Our Tour Director and Driver were a great team and made the trip fun and very enjoyable. Loved having the bus park right next to the stadium!” (Nebraska vs. Minnesota Football, 2019) – Craig, Elkhorn, NE

“Our Tour Director and Driver were outstanding. The best ever. I will never forget all the fun we had!” (Waco, Texas & Magnolia Market at the Silos, 2019) – Roger, Wayne, NE

“This was a very good first tour experience for me! Had so much fun and saw so much. Can’t wait to go again, as I’m already signed up for another tour soon!” (Waco, Texas & Magnolia Market at the Silos, 2019) – Connie, Laurel, NE

“This was such a fun trip. Our Tour Director and Driver were absolutely great! I would love to travel with them again!” (Waco, Texas & Magnolia Market at the Silos, 2019) – Jean, Carroll, NE

“Traveling the first time with Moostash Joe Tours was an excellent experience!” (Waco, Texas & Magnolia Market at the Silos, 2019) – Diane, Omaha, NE

“Wonderful itinerary. Our Tour Director and Driver were fabulous. I loved it!” (Canadian Rockies in Autumn, 2019) – Judy, Pella, IA

“This was our third Moostash Joe Tour. All have been enjoyable and affordable with great quality attractions, hotels and meals.” (Canadian Rockies in Autumn, 2019) – Roger & Betty, Avoca, IA

“We enjoyed ALL 11 days!” (Trains & Cruises of New England, 2019) – Don & Joan, Auburn, IA

“Wonderful job by our Tour Director and Driver. Very efficient and personable. Kept us entertained and educated.” (Trains & Cruises of New England, 2019) – Sam & Kathy, Lincoln, NE

“I thoroughly enjoyed this trip. Our Tour Director and Driver were the best. They made a great team. I appreciated their experience and felt we were in great hands. They met our every need and helped create an experience of a lifetime!” (Autumn in New England, 2019) – Clare, Maryland Heights, MO

“The tour was overall wonderful. Our Driver and Tour Director were great. Our step-on guides were very informative. I had a great, great time!” (Autumn in New England, 2019) – Margaret, West Point, NE

“This was a great value! We’ll do another Moostash Joe Tour again and recommend to others.” (Autumn in New England, 2019) – Gary & Sharon, Lincoln, NE

“This was a great trip and well priced. I will be going again on a tour with Moostash Joe!” (Autumn in New England, 2019) – Sandy, Sidney, NE

“We were very impressed with the professionalism and quality of the tour. Our Tour Director and Driver were great!” (Autumn in New England, 2019) – Mick & Sandy, Syracuse, NE

“This was our first bus tour. It changed our preconceived ideas. It was super fun! We had a wonderful tour. Great memories that we will share with all of our friends!” (Autumn in New England, 2019) – Tim & Julie, Lincoln, NE

“We thoroughly enjoy your tours. We like the way you stop often and the care your Tour Directors and Drivers give to each of us.” (Georgia & the Carolinas Autumn, 2019) – Stan & Marla, Council Bluffs, IA

“Thank you! It was a great tour! This was our fourth trip with you and it has been much better than the other company we’ve traveled with in the past.” (Mississippi River Cruise Autumn, 2019) – Bob & Judy, Hollenberg, KS

“Our Tour Director, Driver and fellow travelers were wonderful – kind, compassionate and courteous at all times.” (Mississippi River Cruise Autumn, 2019) – Marlene, Sioux City, IA

“Our favorite things were the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, the Royal Gorge Route Railroad and the Pikes Peak Jeep Tour!” (Colorado Train Adventure, 2019) – David & Julie, Rock Port, MO

“This is was our second tour with Moostash Joe Tours and both were excellent. Would highly recommend.” (Eureka Springs & Branson, 2019) – Don & Ruth, Omaha, NE

“The choice of attractions was outstanding. Our Tour Director and Driver were also outstanding.” (Eureka Springs & Branson, 2019) – Judith, Monroe, NE

“This was our sixth Moostash Joe Tour and the best one ever! The hotels were excellent and food was outstanding. Loved our Tour Director and Driver! Great time.” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2019) – Tim & Sandy, Cozad, NE

“Accommodations were top notch! Our Tour Director and Driver were EXCELLENT! I enjoyed the tour very much.” (Nebraska Football, Cubs & Cardinals, 2019) – Bill & Bev, Schuyler, NE

“This was an especially fun and scenic tour!” (Colorado Train Adventure, 2019) – Edith, Gettysburg, SD

“Enjoyable tour! Our Tour Director was awesome and Driver was very personable. The hotels were exceptional. The meals were great. This was my first experience on a bus tour and I loved it!” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2019) – Caren, Council Bluffs, IA

“Great tour! Tour Director was awesome. Driver was great. This was my first but not last tour with Moostash Joe Tours! (Nebraska vs Colorado Football, 2019) – Michael, Bellevue, NE

“This was my first bus tour and absolutely loved it! Will plan another!” (Beautiful Cape Cod, 2019) – Robert & Leslie, Omaha, NE

“I’ve been with several bus tour companies – and this was by far the best!” (Beautiful Cape Cod, 2019) – Pat, Hastings, NE

“We have thoroughly enjoyed this trip and look forward to more Moostash Joe Tours. We enjoyed that we were given time to explore on our own and not have to be rushed. Our Tour Director was phenomenal. Very enthusiastic, caring and witty. We were also grateful for the electrical plug-ins to charge our phones on the bus. Our Driver did a super job maneuvering the mountain drives.” (National Parks, 2019) – Perry & Karen, Glenwood, IA  

“We are running out of tours to take with you! The best tours to take are with you guys!” (National Parks, 2019) – Barry & Margaret, Osmond, NE

“Really enjoyed my first tour! I plan to do more. Thanks!” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2019) – Joyce, Omaha, NE

“This was our first tour with Moostash Joe Tours and we were very pleased with everything!” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2019) – Duane & Barbara, Carroll, IA

“I can’t imagine a Tour Director or Driver being any more wonderful! I felt so relaxed and had so much fun!” (Nashville & Memphis, 2019) – Patrice, Omaha, NE

“All the tours I’ve been on with Moostash Joe Tours have always been very nice and interesting from beginning to end – much better than other tour companies I’ve been with!” (Nashville & Memphis, 2019) – Pat, Omaha, NE

“This was the best trip! Very professional and personal at the same time. We felt like family. Can’t wait to go again!” (Nashville & Memphis, 2019) – Fran, North Platte, NE

“We enjoyed the entire trip form the sights, the food and the people!” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2019) – Bruce & Nancy, Griswold, IA

“Our Tour Director and Driver were most accommodating with every single aspect of the tour. They were so personable, we felt like one big family from the word go!” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2019) – Craig & Sharon, Red Oak, IA

“Everything was perfect!” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2019) – Jodean, Fremont, NE

“Our first tour. Everyone was very professional and accommodating.” (Mississippi River Cruise, 2019) – Terry & Cindy, Holbrook, NE

“Outstanding tour. Everything exceeded expectations.” (Mississippi River Cruise, 2019) – Nancy, North Platte, NE

“This was our third tour – we’ve enjoyed them all!” (Mystery Tour “BS”, 2019) – Dave & Laurie, Hartington, NE

“Loved, loved, loved this Mystery Tour! No need to add a thing – it was perfect! Could not have asked for a better Tour Director and Driver.” (Mystery Tour “BS”, 2019) – Tami, Lyons, NE

“This was my first time on a Moostash Joe Tour. It was a great experience and surpassed my expectations!” (Nova Scotia, 2019) – Lana, Wahoo, NE

“We have taken 10+ tours with Moostash Joe Tours and this was one of the best. Thank you for a job well done!” (Nova Scotia, 2019) – Steve & Connie, Blair, NE

“Can’t wait to go on another tour! So much fun – people were wonderful!” (Nova Scotia, 2019) – Gayle, Omaha, NE

“Awesome tour! Great way to celebrate our 50th Anniversary!” (Mighty Grand Canyon, 2019) – Dallas & Linda, Washington, KS

“The first sight of the Grand Canyon was GREAT! Our step-on guide, bus driver and tour director were all excellent.” (Mighty Grand Canyon, 2019) – Marie, Ashland, NE

“Only the second tour I’ve been on but thought this tour was fantastic! WOW!” (Magnificent Tetons & Yellowstone National Parks, 2019) – Karen, Bartlett, NE

“We had a great time. Met a lot of great friendly people. We were sorry to see the tour end!” (Mighty Grand Canyon, 2019) – Mylon & Lana, Omaha, NE

“Our experience on this tour will lead to us taking many more tours with Moostash Joe Tours and tell others to consider!” (Mighty Grand Canyon, 2019) – Elaine & Warren, Mt. Hope, KS

“Great trip! Beautiful country.” (Lake Superior Lighthouse Spectacular, 2019) – Jim & Carol, Lincoln, NE

“Best trip ever – we will do more!” (Magnificent Tetons & Yellowstone National Parks, 2019) – Walter & Mary, Norfolk, NE

“Thank you for an amazing tour!” (Magnificent Tetons & Yellowstone National Parks, 2019) – Mary, Omaha, NE

“Great tour, great people, great Driver, great Tour Director.” (Great Black Hills, 2019) – Linda & Dale, Cozad, NE

“A special thank you to our Tour Director and Driver for retrieving my phone and going above and beyond their responsibilities to help me. A big thank you goes out to them!” (Great Black Hills, 2019) – Joan, Audubon, IA

“We enjoyed the whole experience. This was our first trip and we look forward to many more trips in the future with you. Our Tour Director and Driver were both very professional and pleasant – great people to travel with!” (Colorado Train Adventure, 2019) – Doug & Jan, Stuart, IA

“Enjoyed my first tour very much!” (Colorado Train Adventure, 2019) – Shirley, Elkhart, IA

“This was our first bus tour and will not be our last. As far as we are concerned, Moostash Joe Tours does an excellent job planning fun and affordable tours! Our Tour Director and Driver were first class!” (Colorado Train Adventure, 2019) – Dennis & Donna, Dexter, IA

“Awesome first experience! Loved it from beginning to end!” (Ark Encounter, 2019) – Mary, Wood River, NE

“This was my first ever Moostash Joe Tour and it was all very good! Loved our Tour Director and Driver. I would love to travel with them again.” (Best of St. Louis, 2019) – Janeen, Lincoln, NE

“It was so nice to have a step-on guide with us for two days. She knew so much about the area!” (Best of St. Louis, 2019) – Keith & Jan, Fremont, NE

“We loved the entire trip! Thank you Tour Director Vicki and Driver BJ!” (Great Parks of the Northwest, 2019) – Don & Ronda, Syracuse, NE

“This was Tim’s first Moostash Joe Tour. He thoroughly enjoyed it! We were amazed at all the sights and all of the information we learned. Our Tour Director and Driver were very caring and helpful.” (Great Parks of the Northwest, 2019) – Tim & Deb, Mahaska, KS

“I loved this tour! Will definitely look at doing another one!” (Awesome Niagara Falls, 2019) – Caroline, Holdrege, NE

“So much more than we anticipated! It was a really great tour. Our Tour Director and Driver were super great!” (Awesome Niagara Falls, 2019) – Don & Ronda, Syracuse, NE

“Enjoyed having everything planned for us so we could just sit back and enjoy! Was very appreciative of the extra effort our Tour Director made to make our anniversary day special! Really enjoyed her sense of humor and knack for making everyone feel comfortable.” (Awesome Niagara Falls, 2019) – Anne & Frank, Grand Island, NE

“Seeing both sides of Niagara Falls was awesome!” (Awesome Niagara Falls, 2019) – Marilyn, Grand Island, NE

“Overall, the Tour Director, Driver and fellow passengers were a very good fit. Enjoyed this tour immensely.” (Pacific Northwest and Washington Waterways, 2019) – Marilyn, Beatrice, NE

“I can’t say enough about how good our Tour Director and Driver were. Felt very secure in their care!” (Pacific Northwest and Washington Waterways, 2019) – Karen, La Vista, NE

“This was the longest tour we have taken so far. We had a very, very good time and met so many nice people! The scenery and stops were amazing. Thank you!” (Coastal Maine, 2019) – Don & Dianne, Yankton, SD

“It was my first bus tour and it was great! You made everything easy and enjoyable.” (Coastal Maine, 2019) – Susan, Tonganoxie, KS

“I enjoyed it all! Very well planned with a super Tour Director and Driver.” (Colorado Train Adventure, 2019) – Carol, Superior, NE

“Outstanding lineup of events and things to see and tour. Our Tour Director was extremely clear with instructions and humorous at the same time.” (Colorado Train Adventure, 2019) – Les, Columbus, NE

“Galena was a wonderful getaway. Fellow travelers were so neighborly. Tour Director, Vicki, did an outstanding job. Thanks Moostash Joe Tours for adding this new location!” (Galena, IL Getaway, 2019) – Rose, Hallam, NE

“Our Tour Director did a great job checking on guests without appearing overbearing. She was very organized, kind and helpful.” (Galena, IL Getaway, 2019) – Pam, Longmont, CO

“Wonderful trip! Our Tour Director and Driver made our first tour one of the best vacations we’ve ever had! My favorite part was seeing Niagara Falls for the first time!” (Awesome Niagara Falls, 2019) – Rod & Kathy, Omaha, NE

“Wonderful trip, excellent Tour Director and fantastic Driver! (Awesome Niagara Falls, 2019) – Connie, Clearfield, UT

“This was my first tour with Moostash Joe Tours and I enjoyed everything very much!” (Mackinac Island Spring, 2019) – Linda, Pacific Junction, IA

“For our first our with Moostash Joe Tours, we couldn’t have asked for anything better. We will be taking other tours with your company!” (Mackinac Island Spring, 2019) – Barbara & Ron, Bellevue, NE

“We loved all of it! Thanks!” (Branson June SuperStars, 2019) – Mike & Isa, Lincoln, NE

“Our Tour Director Amy was such a sweetheart! My new forever friend. Our Driver BJ was phenomenal! Can’t say enough good things about him. We felt very well taken care of on the trip – no worries or stress!” (Waco, Texas and Magnolia Market at the Silos, 2019) – Judy, Superior, NE

“It was excellent, just like it always is!” (Ark Encounter, 2019) – Bill, Atlantic, IA

“Tour Director Nancy and Driver Dwight were fantastic! Wonderful tour.” (Chicago Spring with Hamilton, 2019) – Alan & Marsha, Winterset, IA

“I loved the whole tour! Everything was wonderful.” (Mackinac Island Spring, 2019) – Michelle, Omaha, NE

“Lunch at the Grand Hotel was amazing! Awesome food and so many choices. Frankenmuth was very cute! Would love to return to Door County for several days. Hotels were all nice and comfortable.” (Mackinac Island Spring, 2019) – Nicole, Omaha, NE

“Great trip! Exceeded expectations!” (California & Great Parks, 2019) – Carroll & Jane, Green, KS

“Loved the tour! Places I’d never heard of!” (Mystery Tour “TR”, 2019) – Irene, Omaha, NE

“We enjoyed the tour very much! Excellent Tour Director and Driver.” (Georgia & the Carolinas Spring, 2019) – Larry & Lorraine, Newman Grove, NE

“I enjoyed every minute!” (Ark Encounter, 2019) – Karen, Fremont, NE

“Our Tour Director, Stella, and our Driver, Gus, were fabulous!” (Pella Tulip Festival, 2019) – Diane, Omaha, NE

“Enjoyed all of it. This is the best trip we have ever taken on a bus! Our Tour Director and Driver were super helpful.” (New York Spring Adventure, 2019) – Dave & Sheryl, Missouri Valley, IA

“This was an excellent tour. The Tour Director was very specific and organized a large group into an efficient unit. Everything was very well planned.” (New York Spring Adventure, 2019) – Con & Peggy, Chadron, NE

“This was a fabulous tour in part to our Tour Director and Driver. Enjoyed every minute of it! Learned a lot and made many new friends.” (New York Spring Adventure, 2019) – Karen, Omaha, NE

“This was my first Moostash Joe Tour and it was fabulous! Our Tour Director and Driver were all fantastic. Couldn’t be happier with this trip! Plan to do more!” (Chicago Spring with Hamilton, 2019) – Kelly, Lincoln, NE

“The tour was everything I’d hoped it would be. All activities were great, especially enjoyed the Lake/River Cruise. Hamilton was awesome!” (Chicago Spring with Hamilton, 2019) – Julie, Omaha, NE

“This was the most enjoyable tour – made so by our tour guide and members of the group!” (Chicago Spring with Hamilton, 2019) – Lois, Castro Valley, CA

“The Duttons and Oak Ridge Boys were fantastic! Dogwood Canyon was awesome!” (Branson Spring SuperStars, 2019) – Cindy, Omaha, NE

“This tour was one of the best I’ve been on and I’ve been on many. I think the selection of cities and activities was excellent. The entire tour was great and I will go on more of them.” (Gulf Coast Adventure, 2019) – Gary, Bellevue, NE

“This was my first motor coach tour and had a great time with great staff and new friends. It was great.” (Waco, Texas and Magnolia Market at the Silos, 2019) – Mary, Sanborn, IA

“Everything was GREAT!” (Ark Encounter, 2019) – Roger and Valora, York, NE

“Enjoyed this tour and our Tour Director! Our Driver was professional and safe. The activities were great and added to the overall quality of the tour!” (New Orleans & the Deep South, 2019) – Robert & Glenrose, Council Bluffs, IA

“Fantastic trip! Loved the evening entertainment. The entire trip was beyond expectations. So far, all of our Moostash Joe Tours have been exceptional.” (Smoky Mountain Discovery, 2019) – Ken & Bonnie, Wilbur, NE

“Great tour! Hotels were wonderful. Liked staying several days at a time. Food was fantastic! Very good driver and tour director.” (Smoky Mountain Discovery, 2019) Lee & Shirley, Council Bluffs, IA

“Overall – a fabulous time! Our Tour Director, Virginia, was great! We loved her humor, patience and daily readings each morning. Our Driver, Rod, was so efficient, friendly and helpful! (Smoky Mountain Discovery, 2019) – Mike & Mary, Omaha, NE

“Honestly, it was perfect. Diane was a perfect tour director. She helped everyone, she was so efficient and she had a great sense of humor. Driver Damon, too, was so friendly, helpful, polite and fun!” (The Great Sandhill Crane Migration Tour, 2019) – Jim & Bonnie, Nebraska City, NE

“I really appreciated the devotional readings to begin each day. And thank you so much for the additional care following the tour regarding the flooding conditions.” (Grand Canyon by Rail, 2019) – Joni, Munich, ND

“The tour overall was very good. I was especially impressed by the efforts of Moostash Joe Tours in taking care of all of us due to the flood.” (Grand Canyon by Rail, 2019) – Sandy, Munich, ND

“Tour Director Claire is great and always there for all of us – morning until night. Claire is there for every need. Driver Stu is always there to help with whatever we need. He cleaned the windows constantly so we could take pictures and enjoy the sites. I also feel very safe with Stu driving. Moostash Joe Tours was very compassionate for all of us. God Bless you for caring for all the people impacted by this flood. Thank you.” (Grand Canyon by Rail, 2019) – Shauna, Papillion, NE

“This was our first bus tour, but others on our bus have taken several with various companies and said Moostash Joe Tours is the best.” (Mystery Tour “S”, 2019) – Greg & Cindy, Nenzel, NE

“Enjoyed this tour very much. This is our third time with Moostash Joe and have enjoyed them all. Nice tours at reasonable prices.” (Caribbean Cruise Getaway, 2019) – Mike, Omaha, NE

“This was our first tour but it won’t be our last! Loved it and loved Tour Director Vicki!” (Grand Canyon by Rail #1, 2019) – Jim & Jeri, Plattsmouth, NE

“Tour Director John and Driver Damon were great! The whole tour and cruise was awesome! We can’t think of anything that would have made it better!” (Caribbean Cruise Getaway, 2019) – Kevin & Joan, Marquette, NE

“I enjoyed it all – good entertainment, food, tour director, driver and others travelers!” (Nashville & Memphis Spring, 2019) – Gerry, Omaha, NE

“This was my first tour and thoroughly enjoyed it! Very well organized.” (Nashville & Memphis Spring, 2019) – Bonnie, Audubon, IA

“We enjoyed all the attractions and step-on guides. Tour Director Nancy and Driver BJ were a great team – so helpful, kind, organized, humorous and conscientious.” (Texas Winter Getaway, 2019) – Ron & Judy, Elkhorn, NE 

“The Brett’s Family Christmas and Clay Cooper shows were totally amazing. Also great food! We love the four-day Branson tours because they are just right. So many nice people to meet as well. We had a great time. Thank you so much!” (Branson Christmas #6, 2018) – Sandy & Erich, Council Bluffs, IA

“I enjoyed everything! But, I especially enjoyed our step-on guide, Jeannie, along with Tour Director Stella and Driver Craig. I’m SO glad I finally got to see Hamilton!!” (Chicago Christmas with Hamilton, 2018) – Jessica, Lincoln, NE

“I thought this was an incredibly well-priced tour. The accommodations, bus, guides and food was much better than expected for the price. The highlight, of course, was Hamilton. Well planned tour.” (Chicago Christmas with Hamilton, 2018) – Beth, Superior, CO

“Loved Hamilton! Jeannie, our step-on guide in Chicago was truly outstanding. Knowledgeable, funny, helpful. Our Tour Director, Stella, was so accommodating. Thoughtful, helpful, wonderful!” (Chicago Christmas with Hamilton, 2018) – Kathleen, Mayfield Heights, OH

“This was a fun trip! Great tour director and driver, as well as people on board. You went above and beyond! Thank you!” (Chicago Christmas with Hamilton, 2018) – Joan, Columbus, NE

“We cannot emphasize enough how great and knowledgeable our Tour Director, Judy, was about Branson. She wanted us to know the history of Branson and about many of the performers. Our driver, Bob, was also excellent and friendly.” (Branson Christmas #5, 2018) – Floyd & Pat, Elm Creek, NE

“This was our first bus tour. Tour Director Diane and Driver Doug were amazing! Loved their humor – yet they were professional and efficient. They made the tour so enjoyable!” (Nashville Country Christmas, 2018) – Dan & Darla, Columbus, NE

“This was a very fun tour. Enjoyed all the performances. The hotels were excellent, especially the Lodge at Five Oaks. Tour Director Nancy and Driver BJ were the best. Really made this tour memorable!” (Biltmore Christmas, 2018) – Kathy, Lincoln, NE

“This was my first Moostash Joe Tour and really enjoyed it!” (Ultimate Mystery Christmas, 2018) – Judy, Elkhorn, NE

“The Guest House at Graceland was superb! As were all our tours in Memphis. Our tour director, Virginia and our bus driver, Rod were outstanding.” (Blue Christmas, 2018) – Nancy & Frank, Blair, NE

“Best bus trip we have ever been on! Great tour director and bus driver!” (Blue Christmas, 2018) – Jim & Carol, LeMars, IA

This is my third tour with Moostash Joe Tours and they have all been excellent! Tour Directors have all been fun to be with and so have the Drivers. I will definitely go on more trips. Thank you!” (Waco, Texas and Magnolia Market at the Silos, 2018) – Cindy, Lincoln, NE

“Loved the tour! Cannot think of anything I wanted to do that we didn’t do! Food and entertainment choices were excellent. Our NYC Tour Guide was great also! What a trip!” (New York City Christmas, 2018) – Gary & Bethene, Blair, NE

“Judy, our Tour Director was outstanding! Bob, our Driver, was also outstanding! Loved ALL the shows! Also enjoyed Judy’s stories and history about Branson.” (Branson Christmas, 2018) – Joan, West Point, NE

“Enjoyed every minute of this tour! Judy our Tour Director was the BEST! Learned so much about Branson. Our Driver Bob was also super.” (Branson Christmas, 2018) – Betty, Schuyler, NE

“This was a great tour! Very organized and relaxing. We plan on doing more tours with you.” (Ark Encounter, 2018) – Gene & Sharon, Oakdale, NE

“Our Tour Director Vicki was great – kind, thoughtful, friendly personality. Our Bus Driver Angela was amazing behind the wheel. Very capable, competent and friendly.” (Waco, Texas & Magnolia Market at the Silos, 2018) – Mary Kay, Omaha, NE

“Well planned and organized. I had a great time and enjoyed all of the trip, everything was just awesome. Definitely going on more tours.” (Arkansas Autumn, 2018) – Linda, Tekamah, NE

“Everything was great! Virginia is one of a kind! Our step-on guide was great also. I really enjoyed this tour.” (New Orleans, 2018) – Judy, Omaha, NE

“It met and exceeded my expectations. I was very pleased and look forward to doing more tours!” (Washington, D.C. Autumn 2018) – Olga, Grand Island, NE

“This was my 8th tour! I just love your tours!” (Washington, D.C. Autumn 2018) – Sandra, Bellevue, NE

“The best Moostash Joe tour I have ever taken! And I have enjoyed them all! Best Driver and Tour Director I have had. Keep up the good work!” (Ark Encounter, 2018) – Janet, Fremont, NE

“This was our first tour. Everything was perfect! Diane and Doug were excellent and we would love to do another tour with them together. Met so many terrific people on our bus. We’re all blessed!” (Ark Encounter, 2018) – Lowell & Jan, Red Oak, IA

“I have been on other tour companies tours, this one was the best!” (Ark Encounter, 2018) – Joyce, Auburn, NE

“Enjoyed the trip! Taken a couple tours with others and you are still the best!” (Trains & Cruises of New England #2, 2018) – Doug & Betty, Omaha, NE

“Tour Director Nancy and Driver BJ were the best team! They made everyone feel special and always so accommodating! We want to thank them so much for making our first bus tour so much fun. We will definitely love to go on another one with them again!” (Trains & Cruises of New England #2, 2018) – John & Carol, Omaha, NE

“I loved all the parks and places I never knew existed and the information was excellent. Virginia is an excellent tour director and leader. It was all wonderful.” (National Parks #2, 2018) – Vi, Grand Island, NE

“I had a great time for my first tour. When I go again, it will be with you! Thanks a million.” (Autumn in New England #2, 2018) – Corinne, O’Neill, NE

“This was our first tour and wasn’t sure what to expect. It exceeded our expectations!” (Autumn in New England #2, 2018) – Jim & Phyllis, Grand Island, NE

“Our driver, Suzy, was so funny and helpful. Our tour director, Diane, was very good. Enjoyed our tour, the rooms and food were wonderful!” (Autumn in New England #2, 2018) – Dick & Jan, Bellevue, NE

“I love that Moostash Joe Tours remains affordable compared to others. Enjoyed this tour very much!” (Nebraska vs. Wisconsin Football, 2018) – Reta, Tekamah, NE

“It was a great tour and very relaxing. Everyone did an excellent job. Looking forward to doing another tour with Moostash Joe Tours!” (Mississippi River Cruise Autumn, 2018) – Susan, Wilber, NE

“We enjoyed this tour very much! This was our first one and didn’t know what to expect. Both Nancy and BJ were fantastic, helped in making for a successful experience!” (Mackinac Island Autumn #4, 2018) – Robert & Suzanne, Sioux Falls, SD

“Doris and Bob did excellent jobs. We were very pleased to have them as Tour Director and Driver. They are real professionals!” (Colorado Aspen “Rail” Spectacular, 2018) – Don & Lorene, Omaha, NE

“Great trip that I’ve had on my “bucket list” for years and was not disappointed!” (National Parks, 2018) – Carol, Lincoln, NE

“This was my first Moostash Joe Tour. Wonderful time! Driver Doug and Tour Director Nancy were excellent hosts. I will definitely travel with Moostash Joe Tours again. Awesome scenery! (National Parks, 2018) – Robert, Omaha, NE

“This was our first bus tour. We enjoyed it very much! Tour Director Jo and Driver Angela did a great job!” (Mackinac Island Autumn, 2018) Neil & Trish, Yankton, SD

“Loved the tour. Kathy & Craig are so nice and made us all feel comfortable. Group was fun!” (Tetons & Yellowstone, 2018) – Karen, Minden, IA

“It was a wonderful tour and we hope to travel with MJ Tours again!” (Yellowstone & Tetons, 2018) – Terry & Marilyn, Omaha, NE

“Great tour, great tour guide, great bus driver, great people!” (Mighty Grand Canyon, 2018) – Tim & Sandy, Cozad, NE

“We love Moostash Joe Tours!” (Yellowstone & Tetons, 2018) – Les & Vi, Omaha, NE

“So glad we chose your tour instead of trying to drive ourselves! It was great!” (Yellowstone & Tetons, 2018) – Ken & Olive, Broken Bow, NE

“Our first family bus tour, absolutely the most amazing trip ever! Had the best time. So much fun. Everyone was awesome!” (Best of Chicago & Wrigley Field, 2018) – Keith & Charlene, Wynot, NE

“Our bus driver, Stu, was very good, polite and helpful. He went out of his way to help everyone on board. (Great Pacific Coast Adventure #1, 2018) – Roger & Linda, Yankton, SD

“We would like to give a special thank you to our tour guide on this trip. Diane was the best! She has a wonderful personality and sense of humor. She made the trip a great experience for us. Alaska was a beautiful state to visit! We especially liked the glacier and wildlife cruise out of Valdez. We were fortunate to have perfect weather for the entire trip as well. Great memories made in Alaska! (Alaska & Denali National Park #2, 2018) – Marge & Randy, LaVista, NE

“Tour Director Stella was fabulous! She is upbeat, friendly and positive. Great at her job and always looking after us. Both her and our driver, Dwight, were very professional and courteous.” (Great Black Hills, 2018) – Amy, Cedar Creek, NE

“I really enjoyed everything! Had a wonderful time. Can’t wait to go on another trip!” (Rocky Mountain Holiday, 2018) – Denay, North Platte, NE

“Our driver and tour director were both terrific!” (Waco, TX & Magnolia Market at the Silos, 2018) – Diana, Wausa, NE

“This was our first tour and everything was over the top WONDERFUL! Thank you so much! Nancy and BJ were A++ awesome – wonderful people.” (Mississippi River Cruise Spring, 2018) – Jerry & Yvonne, Tilden, NE

“Moostash Joe Tours are the best of any others I have traveled with!” (Mackinac Island Spring, 2018) – Marge, Yankton, SD

“I just can’t think of a thing I’d change. I felt very well taken care of. It was very relaxing, just what I needed! Thanks so much Diane and Suzy!” (Mackinac Island Spring, 2018) – Robin, Odell, NE

“My first bus tour and I was really impressed! I would love to do it again, especially with Diane and Suzy!” (Mackinac Island Spring, 2018) – Sheri, Sigourney, IA

“Doris was excellent and informative. Ron was super fun and an excellent driver. Hope to travel with them again!” (Pella Tulip Festival, 2018) – Don & Myrna, Lincoln, NE

“This was a great tour. Enjoyed every minute. Everything was well planned. Doris was very organized and Ron made sure the bus was in the right place.” (Pella Tulip Festival, 2018) – Jean, Valparaiso, NE

“What a trip! We were to see the Cherry Blossoms, but snow and cold weather were a factor, but the tour was so wonderful and so impressive. We have traveled with Moostash Joe before, and our expectations were far exceeded! Our tour guide was professional and fun, food was great, hotels top of the line.” (Washington, D.C. Spring, 2018) – Lyle & Jan, Stickney, SD

“This was our first bus tour. Enjoyed every minute! Very organized and comfortable. Would love to go again sometime in the future.” (Ark Encounter #2, 2018) – Vern & June, Broken Bow, NE

“Moostash Joe was so accommodating in putting us back a week due to illness and letting us off in Hebron. Jo and Angela  are both fantastic! You’re the best!” (Waco, TX and Magnolia Market at the Silos, 2018) Cheryl, Chester, NE

“Our tour guide Vicki was the best. She and our driver, Angela made our trip the best!” (Waco, Texas & Magnolia Market at the Silos, 2018) – Connie, Norfolk, NE

“Great tour guide and driver! Such an enjoyable trip, very organized, great accommodations and meals.” (Washington, D.C. Spring #2, 2018) – Steve & Linda, Hastings, NE

“It was a fun, fun trip. Loved going from one thing to another. I feel like we got my money’s worth. Great job, keep it up. Will be back for another trip for sure!” (Branson Spring Superstars, 2018) – Debbie, St. Paul, NE

“Tour was wonderful! This was the first tour for my husband and first long one for me. My husband was hesitant but said he’d take another one. That is high praise!!” (Ark Encounter #1, 2018) – Ken & Joan, St. Petersburg, NE

“Our first bus trip and would recommend it to others. Fun, professional, well-explained. Nice variety of stops.” (Gulf Coast Adventure, 2018) – Greg & Monica, Dunlap, IA

“It was a great trip and we enjoyed every bit of it! Our tour guide, Nancy Gutschow was great! She was so kind and considerate of everyone on the bus. She was a great guide and we hope she will be our guide on our next trip. It is great that your company requires people to change seats as some do not. It was a great tour and made even greater by our guide Nancy Gutschow. Keep her! (Great Southwest, 2018) – Elmer & Doris, Yankton, SD

“It was all good but here are some high points. Lunch at the Back Porch in Destin, Holiday Inn Resort at Panama City Beach, sunset dinner cruise in Fort Myers, Everglades lunch and airboat tour, extra time in Key West with sunset evening meal and the Incline Railway up Lookout Mountain. Heck, we even enjoyed the Kentucky Dam Village stop! A gourmet buffet in a beautiful setting. And beautiful weather all around!” (Coastal Florida Beaches, 2018) – Jim, Blair, NE

“Wonderful trip! Nancy is a super tour director! Thanks also for arranging my sister’s surprise visit in Sedona!” (Great Southwest, 2018) – Jim & DeAnn, Ainsworth, NE

“Stella was an excellent tour director! I’d love to do another tour with her. Darrel was also an excellent driver!” (Myrtle Beach, 2018) – Mary, Grand Island, NE

“Having finished our first tour with Moostash Joe Tours, we want to say how pleased we are with your company. Our tour guide and driver were the greatest. The whole tour was amazing and we enjoyed it immensely. What a great experience and a wonderful group. Thank you to all! There is a difference in tour companies and yours is one we will refer our friends to experience.” (Spring Training & Grand Canyon Holiday, 2018) – Gordon & Faye, Pella, IA

“Nancy & Craig were wonderful! Nancy is very personable and goes out of her way to make everyone feel comfortable and part of the group. Craig is a also a wonderful driver.” (Nashville & Memphis Spring, 2018) – Jo Beth, Leon, IA

“I enjoy traveling with Moostash Joe Tours. I feel that I get my money’s worth!” (Fun in the Sun, 2018) – Ray, Weeping Water, NE

“I enjoyed the people and met many new friends. Virginia is an excellent Tour Director and very organized. I had a great time!” (Texas Winter Getaway 2018) – Ursula, North Platte, NE

“Wonderful, perfect, marvelous, in all ways! I’ve enjoyed several Moostash Joe Tours and hope to take many more!” (Mexico’s Copper Canyon 2018) – Nancy, Wayne, NE

“We loved the cable car ride over the Copper Canyon and the birding on the river raft was unique! Everything was accommodating and safe.” (Mexico’s Copper Canyon 2018) – John & Anne, Alliance, NE

“What a great team you have in your guide and driver, Jo and Angela! Can’t say enough good about them both – friendly, fun, courteous. They made each of us feel special. Wonderful memories!” (Nashville Country Christmas, 2017) – Gerry, Papillion, NE

“I so appreciated the high quality hotels, venues, entertainment and food on this tour. The tour director and driver (Virginia & George) were also of that same quality and created a world class experience for their passengers. We were always informed and always entertained. This trip was such a good experience I didn’t want it to end!” (Biltmore Christmas, 2017) – Barb, Omaha, NE

“The overall quality of this tour was the best we’ve ever done, including the hotels, food and attractions.” (Biltmore Christmas, 2017) – Darrel & Cathi, Lincoln, NE

“This was our first tour with Moostash Joe and we will definitely do another! We really enjoyed the opportunity to experience as many sights as we did. Our guide was knowledgeable and organized and bus driver excellent. The local guide for the lights tour was awesome! Tremendous experience and we are looking forward to our next tour!” (Kansas City Christmas, 2017) – Bill & Connie, Yankton, SD

“We want you all to know how very much we enjoyed our Autumn in New England trip. We really enjoyed John and Doug, what fine people. It was so nice for John to begin each day spiritually. The movies and documentaries were also in good taste. It is refreshing in these times to have someone show their faith and love for God and country. We hope to travel with those two again sometime.” (Autumn in New England #3, 2017) – Ron & Carolyn, Columbus, NE

“Enjoyed our driver, Todd, professional and courteous at all times. Stella was amazing, fun and thoughtful. She was professional and kept us on time. Our step-on guide in New Orleans was also terrific.” (New Orleans #3, 2017) – Deona, Papillion, NE

“Jim and Doris made this trip fantastic – they were both absolutely fantastic! Loved having a packed day before the game that night!” (Nebraska vs Purdue Football, 2017) – Elizabeth and Dan, Omaha, NE

“We had a great time with everything. Great job setting up the tour! Jim did a wonderful job and Doris was a very good tour guide.” (Arkansas Autumn, 2017) Verna, Fremont, NE

“I would like to give gold stars to our guide, Lenore, and our driver, Suzy. Both were so gracious and pleasant the entire trip. Our accommodations were also very nice. I was very satisfied with everything!” (Trains & Cruises #2, 2017) Bonnie, Ankeny, IA

“Lenore was a wonderful tour guide – she went out of her way to make sure all the details of the trip were taken care of and also made the trip very enjoyable.” (Trains & Cruises of New England #2, 2017) Allen & Sharon, Lincoln, NE

“Thank you for a wonderful once-in-a-lifetime experience. I was very happy with everything on the trip!” (Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, 2017) Russel, Valley, NE

“It was a great trip! Driver Stu was so polite and kind and would do anything to help you. Claire is also great. She is organized and kept everything moving. She was so kind and humorous. I will do another trip with Stu, Claire & Moostash Joe Tours!” (Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, 2017) Terry, Lincoln, NE

“This was my first bus tour and I thought it was a wonderful experience. Great opportunity to visit large cities that I would not do on my own. I cannot say enough good things about our driver, Todd. We always felt safe on the road. How he made it through the Boston and New York traffic, I will never know!” (Autumn in New England, 2017) – Marge, LaVista, NE

“This was our first bus tour ever! We found it to be fun, entertaining and informative. A wonderful way to see and visit new places and meet people with similar interests.” (Autumn in New England 2, 2017) – Jim & Carolyn, Carlisle, IA

“We saw more than we ever imagined. The trip was outlined nicely and every day, every park was more spectacular. Hotel accommodations were great! George and Virginia are the best team. They made the trip enjoyable for everyone – hated to see the tour end! (National Parks 2, 2017) Bill & Sandy, Fremont, NE

“I have traveled a lot! I think Moostash Joe Tours are the best for the money.” Dorothy, Lincoln, NE

“We could not have had a better tour director or driver. Virginia is so witty, congenial, professional, caring and informative. George is very nice and makes you feel safe!” (National Parks 2, 2017) Joanne, Lincoln, NE

“I have been on 8-10 bus trips, now 3 with Moostash Joe Tours. By far Moostash Joe Tours is the best. Claire and Stu were also the best we’ve ever had.” (Autumn in New England 1, 2017) – Ann, Council Bluffs, IA

“Was an awesome tour with so many wonderful places to visit. Excellent tour director and driver – so much fun!” (Autumn in New England 3, 2017) – Dean & Linda, LeMars, IA

“Both driver and guide were very informational. They made the trip. Our first trip with Moostash Joe and hopefully not the last!” (Autumn in New England 3, 2017) – Larry & Linda, Norfolk, NE

“Driver Doug and John were the greatest – very helpful and friendly. Couldn’t have had any better driver or tour director.” (Autumn in New England 3, 2017) – Randy & Pat, Ainsworth, NE

“Suzy was great. Thankful for the opportunity to buy water.. Always concerned about passenger safety. Mary is wonderful. She tried to accommodate all passenger needs and questions.” (Colorado Aspen “Rail” Spectacular, 2017) Lad & Sam, Omaha, NE

“First time I saw the Passion Play in Eureka Springs, it was absolutely fantastic! It gave me goosebumps. John and Suzy make a terrific team. They made it so enjoyable to be on the trip. Your food selections that you had chosen were “oh so good!” I had a wonderful trip thanks to MJ Tours!” (Eureka Springs and Branson, 2017) – Sharon, Columbus, NE

“This was a wonderful trip. The food was out of this world. Wonderful lodging. Can’t wait to go on another trip!” (Mackinac Island #3, 2017) Bill & Mary, Papillion, NE

“Stu was not only an exceptional driver, but he always looked very professional. His clothes were clean and pressed and was always willing to help. Claire was amazing, always dressed neat and clean. She was very knowledgeable and always explained what was happening.” (Mackinac Island #3, 2017) Andy & Carolyn – Columbus, NE

“The trip was outstanding! I loved the variety of activities – very well chosen – Mackinac Island was a beautiful one-of-a-kind unique place! Frankenmuth was also a beautiful town with so many pretty flowers. Claire is so pleasant, knowledgeable, calm with a good sense of humor.” (Mackinac Island Autumn #3, 2017) – Janet, Fremont, NE

“THE best trip combo of Judy and Skip, so enjoyable and knowledgeable. No fear riding with them. Thanks, MJTours, another success!” (Branson September Superstars 2017) – Carol, Kearney, NE

“I’ve never been on any tours. But I really enjoyed myself! Everything couldn’t have been any better! The bus driver Angela and the tour guide were wonderful!” (Mackinac Island Autumn 2017) – Ginny, Cozad, NE

“Thank you so much for the refund check for the missed Lake Superior Apostle Island Cruise. We were so disappointed that the weather played this nasty trick on us, but then so pleasantly surprised to receive a refund. Another company might have said, too bad, so sad. But yours did not. We are most impressed with the people who work for Moostash Joe Tours! We plan to go on another trip with your group in the future!” Marty & Chris, Omaha, NE

“We just returned from the recent Mystery Tour. The planning was great! Thanks to the trip planner for the great entertainment, good food and frequent stops along the way. Our Arrow bus driver was professional in every way and kept the bus spotless. Thanks so much for choosing Claire to be our guide. She did a wonderful job.” – Kitty & Jim, Omaha, NE

“This trip was great. Hotels and rooms were very nice. John and Suzy were very organized and kept us happy! Step-on guides and attractions were well prepared.” (Mackinac Island Autumn 2017) – Denis and Marlene, Tekamah, NE

“The whole trip was absolutely and positively awesome! I am grateful and thankful for Claire and Stu and Moostash Joe Tours and am blessed to be on this tour.” (Mighty Grand Canyon, 2017) – Michelle, Omaha, NE

“This was our first tour, we had a great time and will definitely go again! We would never have seen the Grand Canyon on our own and I’m very glad we went. Thank you for all the great times!” (Mighty Grand Canyon, 2017) – Don & Diane, Yankton, SD

“Doris was so courteous and made us all fell so welcome. Jessie was so extremely knowledgeable and personable. We couldn’t have asked for a better first bus tour experience. We will be touring with Moostash Joe Tours again and would highly recommend.” (Tetons & Yellowstone, 2017) – Kathleen, Casey, IA

“A very nice and interesting tour! Stella was one of the best tour directors I’ve had!” (Black Hills 2017) – Yvonne, Omaha, NE

“I absolutely loved all. The kennel tour was special and very educational. All the scenery was awesome.” (Alaska & Denali National Park 2017) – Diane, Lincoln, NE

“Outstanding as always! Moostash Joe is the greatest!” (Alaska & Denali National Park 2017) – Nancy & Joan, Bellevue, NE

“I thought this was an excellent day tour. Have never been disappointed in Moostash Joe Tours. Keep up the good work!” (Mystery Tour “K” 2017) – Betty, Wakefield, NE

“This was our first Moostash Joe tour. We really enjoyed it and hope to go on more in the future! Thank you for the wonderful experience!” (Great Parks of the NW, 2017) – Dennis & Cheryl, Crooks, SD

“The best tour company I have ever traveled with!” (Great Parks of the NW, 2017) – Russ & Carol, Schuyler, NE

“Stella did a great job! We both felt very welcomed – she was so nice to everyone. Suzy is the best bus driver I’ve ever had an I’be been on a lot of your tours. She wet more than the extra mile. Everyone on the tour was impressed with her – a wonderful lady! (Niagara Falls #1, 2017) – Marlene, Tilden, NE

“I was very pleased with the tour and feel I received much more than my money’s worth. Everything was GREAT. God Bless.” (National Parks #1, 2017) – Norma, Yankton, SD

“Amazing, wonderful trip. Superb driver and excellent guide. We were very happy and pleased!” (National Parks #1, 2017) – Mary, Elburn, IL

“Virginia was very professional. She made all passengers feel welcome. George did a fantastic job of transporting the group safely to each destination – wonderful tour!” (Legendary Route 66, 2017), Don & Elaine, Lincoln, NE

“We were unable to take part in a previously scheduled tour this year. My husband suffered a head injury last minute. Your company called us several times to check on his health progress, and even refunded our money. We greatly appreciated both. We just aren’t sure that kind of compassion and integrity are wide spread any longer. So, very high marks to your company. Thanks again!” – Herb & Jean, Milford, NE

“The hotels were exceptional on this tour. I like MJ Tours, especially going to the New England states last September. Thank you for your drivers and quality tour guides!” – Tina, LaVista, NE

“My first bus tour and I was pleased and know I will do it again in the future. I was impressed with every aspect.” (Ark Encounter #3) – Barbara, Nebraska City, NE

“This was our first tour and we were pleasantly surprised!” (Ark Encounter #3 2017) – Larry & Darla, Council Bluffs, IA

“We had a wonderful time! Everyone was so kind and helpful. The tour director was excellent in every way. We cannot wait to do another tour with Moostash Joe Tours!” (Pella Tulip Festival 2017) – Colleen & Richard, Avon, CO

“This was the most scenic tour I have ever taken. I will recommend to all my friends & family. The tour director and driver were exceptional.” (California & Great Parks 2017) – Jim, Columbus, NE

“I have been on two tours and they were great. I recommend Joe’s tours with all my friends.” – Loryne, York, NE

“Great tour! Thank you for offering it because I wouldn’t have ever had an opportunity to see either the Ark Encounter or Creation Museum any other way!” (Ark Encounter #2, 2017) – Joyce, Perry, IA

“It was wonderful! I enjoyed all of it! I’m also thankful for our bus driver’s safe driving. Our tour guide was very good and patient.” (Ark Encounter #1, 2017) – Marlene, Yankton, SD

“A great tour! Would highly recommend it!” (Great Southwest 2017) – Virginia & Niles, Bellevue, NE

“This was my first tour with your company, but it will not be my last. Friends who recommend Moostash Joe Tours certainly did me a favor.” (Nebraska Life Magazine Sandhill Cranes) – Diane, Lincoln, NE

“A very smooth schedule. Great driver and tour guide! I will be looking for more tours in the near future for sure.” (Nebraska Life Magazine Sandhill Cranes) – Mary Ellen, Omaha, NE

“Doug is the best driver I’ve ever had. John is a great leader with a very good sense of humor.” (Nebraska Life Magazine Sandhill Cranes) – Gene, Hallandale Beach, FL

“This was a good tour with good attractions to see. We were grateful to get on last minute. You’ve proved once again that Moostash Joe Tours are the best!” (Mystery Tour “S”) – Bob & Betty, Roca, NE

“I really enjoyed this first tour I took. John & Todd were very friendly and made the trip fun.” (Mystery Tour “S” 2017) – Sandy, Omaha, NE

“I have made 30+ trips with Moostash, always find the time very enjoyable. Always very well scheduled. Craig is a great driver and Doris is a great Tour Director. Very professional.” (Spring Nashville & Memphis 2017) – Ray, Weeping Water, NE

“Great tour, excellent driver and guide (Branson Christmas #4). Virginia has a great sense of humor and a knack for getting everyone to be where they need to be at the correct times.” – John & Sue, Yankton, SD

“Excellent, enjoyable trip (Branson Christmas #4). Virginia & George are a wonderful team, we love traveling with them. And it’s so nice to meet new friendships. Shows were outstanding!” – Art & Betty, Aurora, NE

“Great tour! We will use this tour company again for sure. Love that so much is offered on each tour.” (Branson Christmas #2) – Pete & Debbie, St. Paul, NE

“This was our first tour with your company and we enjoyed it. Will consider more in the future! (Branson Christmas)” – Doug, Yankton, SD

“First Moostash tour for us and we loved every moment. (New York Christmas)” – Larry & Kathy, Yankton, SD

“Bus driver was excellent. All of our lodging was great. Really liked the diverse meals. Tour guide was awesome. (New York Christmas)” – Doris, Beatrice, NE

“5-star all the way. (New York Christmas)” – Larry & Carolyn, Schuyler, NE

“My first bus tour and can not wait for another! Great group of people! (Branson Extraordinaire #2)” – Mary, Lincoln, NE

“We have enjoyed all six trips with your company. The trips are full of interest and variety. Diane was one of the greats!” – John & Rosalie – Lincoln, NE

“Virginia & George both do a wonderful job! The entertainment in the evenings, the hotels, and the food was very good. (Trains of West Virginia) – Maxine, McCook, NE

“It was a wonderful trip, great tour guide and driver. Plan to travel with you again. (Autumn in New England)” – Judy, Tabor, SD

“Thank you Diane for going out of your way to include Aiden in the activities. He felt right at home and felt so special. He had a BLAST! We enjoyed your stories, games and movies. It was a terrific trip (Autumn in New England). Thanks again.” – Debra, Fremont, NE

“Dale and I have been on two Moostash Joe Tours and both were very well planned with a wonderful variety of activities. New Orleans was just awesome!” – Dale & Sylvia, Omaha, NE

“John was an excellent tour guide! Good games, movies, etc. This was one of my favorite tours (Mackinac Island #1). We learned so much, too! We knew that Jerry was a great driver from past trips. Thanks so much!” – Juanita & Al, Gretna, NE.

“This was our first MJ Tour (Mackinac Island #1). Diane and Suzy were wonderful! The hotels, food, and tours were all better than we expected. Beautiful memories!” – Dan & Maureen, Omaha, NE.

“The Grand Canyon trip was our first with Moostash Joe Tours. We had a great time, saw everything we hoped to, had great accommodations and meals and made 52 new friends. Claire did a wonderful job, Sheldon the step-on guide made the day and Craig the bus driver did an excellent job.” – Gary & Jan, Wisner, NE.

“Many of the people on the tour had taken several tours with Moostash Joe and all had enjoyed them. Repeat business is a high recommendation. We would certainly recommend Moostash to others.” – Joel & Cheryl, Whiting, IA

“This was our first tour and we’ve enjoyed it very much. (Grand Canyon) Your Grand Canyon guide was excellent and a wealth of information. Claire was so personable and was always updating all on everything!” – Ken & Julie, North Bend, NE

“The tour was great! (Tetons & Yellowstone) You do a great job selecting hotels and restaurants. The Bar J Chuckwagon supper and program was fantastic. Brandon was an outstanding driver.” – Roger and Nancy, Fremont, NE

“The trip was very fun and I thoroughly enjoyed it! (Tetons & Yellowstone) I hope to go on more Moostash Joe trips in the future.” – Emily, Glenwood, IA

“Exceptional driver & guide. Very fun and personable. I’d like to ride with this duo again sometime!” (Great Parks of the NW) – Nancy, North Platte, NE

“I will recommend Joe’s tours to everyone. The meals were very good, to Brandon and Joan a special thank you. This was a great tour. (Missouri Rail & Sail) – Gary, Lincoln, NE

“From time picked up until end of the trip, everything ran very smoothly – was a great time! (Best of Chicago)” – Linda, Waverly, NE

“Just got back from your National Parks 100th Anniversary Tour. Bob, our tour guide was the best. He must have timed all the stops as to how much time it takes to travel, stop, view, enter and exit the bus. He was able to change up on congested areas and fill in or move on to alternate sights. The picnic lunch at the park and Jeep ride were great. Trivia quiz was a hit too – he gave out 2 shirts and a mug just for winning! He always talked about park information, minerals, etc. Todd, our bus driver was very professional and smooth at the wheel. My wife and I want to say thanks for a great trip. Don’t change anything!” – Steve & Sue, La Vista, NE

“Doug and Claire did a wonderful and professional job! (Niagara Falls)” – Lynn, Eldridge, IA

“Diane has a wonderful sense of humor and Bob was an excellent driver! Thank you for the memories! (Wisconsin Dells Spring)” – Becky, Sioux City, IA

“Good trip! (Historic Land of Lincoln) So glad we got to go to the Lincoln Museum. Moostash Joe has left the business in good hands! May there be many more years of Moostash Joe Tours!” – Chuck & Mary, Bladen, NE

“Only trip taken with MJ Tours. (Trophy Walleye Fishing) Great Trip! Lew is an awesome host! Talked to everyone. Does a great job! ” – Matt, Stacy & Logan, Columbus, NE

“We would go on another Moostash Joe tour! It was excellent. (Mackinac Island Spring) Please send us your latest tour specials.” – Leroy & Roberta, Minden, NE

“Best driver and tour guide I’ve had and have been on LOTS of tours over the years! (Mackinac Island Spring)” – Zella, Council Bluffs, IA

“My first trip with you and it was GREAT! (Pella Tulip Festival) Doris does a great job.” – Marcia, La Vista, NE

“Diane is personable, friendly and excellent with keeping everyone informed! Craig was always helpful with a good sense of humor!” – Linda, Council Bluffs, IA

“Claire was a wonderful guide! She went out of her way to schedule fun tours for us! She was so helpful, knowledgeable, fun and always informed us of all the interesting tidbits on each stop!” – Bob & Jan, Storm Lake, IA

“Can’t wait for the fishing trip to get here. Will be my 26th trip to Ballard’s. Everyone of them better than the first one. Never disappointed!” – Sam, Lincoln, NE

“It was awesome! (New York Spring) Everything! Our tour guide in NYC was amazing too. Can’t wait to go on another trip! ” – Pat & Lana, Omaha, NE

“This was the best trip we have been on – and we have been on 4! (Gulf Coast Adventure) Virginia is so helpful and kind and George is a great driver with a great attitude. Step-on guides were great; everything was well done! ” – Robert & Nancy, O’Neill, NE

“We really liked the trip! (Gulf Coast Adventure) The Tour of New Orleans, Shrimp Boat and Boil, Lunch in Old Jail. DVD’s en route were excellent. This trip lived up to the itinerary, a great value! Would definitely recommend! ” – Larry & Jane, Beatrice, NE

“It was a great time–everything! (Great Southwest) George and Virginia are the best of the best! Her expertise, professionalism & heart make traveling with her a joy! ” – Judi, Pella, IA.

“We have taken m any bus tours hand the guide and driver were the best we have ever had!” – Wayne & Donna, Lincoln, NE.

“My first tour with Moostash and I had a great time! (Mystery “W”) I now have a bunch of new friends.” – Cynthia, Omaha, NE.

“This was my first tour (Mystery “W”) and I enjoyed it very much. Had a great time and met new friends! Thank you.” – Ardith, Verdigre, NE.

“Excellent tour! (Nashville & Memphis Spring) This was our first one. Nice experience and would be glad to go on another one.” – John & Liz, Lincoln, NE.

“Overall, this trip was spectacular! (Florida) Virginia and George are professional, kind, and friendly!” – Larry & Marlene, Lincoln, NE.

“We want you to know how much we appreciate your company. We were planning on going on the Fun in the Sun tour in February. My husband became ill. The doctor didn’t want us to be out of state in case of some medical problems. We called 4 days before the trip started and got a FULL refund. We were so thankful. When my husbands health improves we hope to go on many of your tours. We have been to Branson and had a wonderful time.” – Leroy & Joyce, Fremont, NE.

“Janice did a lot of research on the town and history of the states and tours – the best guide I’ve ever had – my 5th tour (Mexico Copper Canyon)” – Dale, Alexandria, SD.

“Loved this trip (Kentucky Christmas). Hotel was great and very pretty! Food places were very good.” – Larry & Gayle, Stromsburg, NE.

“We really enjoyed Diane as our tour guide to Branson. She was a ‘hoot!’ Also a good sport at one of the shows (where she was brought up on stage). We can’t wait to go on Mackinac Island next Spring, especially with her as our tour guide. Thanks for a great trip!” – Pat & Roger, Lincoln, NE.

“Excellent scouting on your tours. Lots of fun things to do and see. We recommend your services to many people and have enjoyed all we’ve taken.” – John & Rosalee, Lincoln, NE.

“I would recommend your company to anyone!” – Diane, Columbus, NE.

“Well planned. I’ll plan another trip with Moostash Joe. I enjoyed the driver and director – fun experience!” (San Antonio Christmas) – Erin, Bloomfield, NE.

“First bus tour ever. Really impressed by organization and loved having Virginia & George. Goal is to plan 1 or 2 tours a year in the future. Thanks for a very good experience.” (San Antonio Christmas) – Vickie, Omaha, NE.

“Best bus trip ever.” (Branson Christmas #1) – Bonnie, Papillion, NE.

“Laughter is good for the soul – we laughed and laughed!”- Cliff & Shirley, Orchard, NE.

“Mary Ann was a very gracious and personable guide. I especially loved the info she shared on our bus ride about interesting cities, towns, people, places of interest, etc. She had us laughing along the way with her fun sense of humor and telling jokes. Bill was very friendly and courteous. He drove us to our destinations in a comfortable, safe, and timely manner. I was in awe of how well he handled driving the many steep, hilly streets and scary curves around Branson.”- Mary, Omaha, NE.

“We have taken many tours with Moostash Joe and have been very pleased with all!”- Dennis & Helen, Wahoo, NE.

“Was a great success as usual. We had a wonderful time.”- Darrell, Bellwood, NE.

“I just got back from the Arkansas trip. I loved it! Craig and Doris are the best. I will take another trip with your company.”- Agnes, Lincoln, NE.

“This was our 1st bus trip and it was wonderful! Virginia and George were great. We will take more trips with Moostash Joe.”- Gary & Jeanne, Marysville, KS.

“Our first bus tour! We had lots of fun. Enjoyed the sense of humor of both Annie and Craig. The balloons and everything was wonderful! We would recommend this trip to others! (Albuquerque Balloon Festival)”- Leon & Nancy, Ithaca, NE.

“Everything was great and we had a good time, they were all wonderful shows! Mary McDonald is very professional and also very fun. Jerry did a great job driving as well.”- Bob & Marilyn, Fremont, NE.

“This was our first tour and it was everything we wished for and more. Mary Ann and Jeff were fabulous!”- Karen & Lyle, Lincoln, NE.

“Our 1st tour. It’s going to take a lot to beat this tour!” – Kathy & Wayne, Hastings, NE.

“Mary Ann was the best guide we’ve ever had!” – Clarence & Jan, Griswold, IA.

“We LOVED our tour and would highly recommend Moostash Joe Tours to family and friends. It was a GREAT way to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary!” – Steve & Dawn, Springfield, NE.

“This tour was a good value for the money. We saw a ton and loved it all. We’ve only taken one other bus trip before, and it was the same price but for only 4 days instead of 12! Our step-on guides were outstanding! Also kudos to Paul deJung – He made me feel safe!” – Debbie & Butch, Omaha, NE.

“Claire did an excellent job! Stu is a great driver and they make a wonderful team. Great trip!” – Bev and Joe, Neligh, NE.

“It was the best trip we ever had with Moostash Joe (Georgia & Carolina’s Autumn). Virginia and Brandon did a great job!” – Jerry and Mary, Yankton, SD.

“John is a delightful young man. As a father, you can be very proud. He has a way of making us all feel very special – great tour guide!” – Barbara, Papillion, NE.

“When I have a chance to go on another trip, I will be looking up Moostash Joe for my tours.” – Dean, Holiday Island, AR.

“The best tour we have taken with Moostash Joe Tours! (Pure Michigan)” – Gordon & Maril, Lincoln, NE.

“Stu and Claire made it so we could listen to the Nebraska game. They both went above and beyond for our comfort!” – Jerry & Kathy, Fremont, NE.

“Virginia was the best tour guide. Great sense of humor, organized, excellent and witty. Loved every minute.” – Steve & Melinda, Elkhorn, NE.

“I am well pleased with this tour! (Autumn Nashville & Memphis) Virginia and Rocky are super at their jobs. I will treasure memories of the trip. I appreciate all the hard work it takes to coordinate these tours, and it was done excellently. Thank you very much!” – Linda, Stanton, NE.

“Overall this has been a fantastic trip!  People were great, bus great, etc…! I would recommend a Moostash Joe Tour to anyone!  Loved starting the day with the Lord’s Prayer!” Vicki, Omaha, NE.

“Loved every moment! A fantastic tour! Our step on guide in New York City was so knowledgeable. The meals were all so good! Thank you so much for the great memories and pictures! See you in September for Branson. Would love to go sometime on your Nashville tour too. Joe, our tour guide was just the best! Craig, the driver, did a tremendous job in New York. The motels you chose to stay in were all so nice. The one with construction was still ok. Our room was fine. Appreciated staying in the same room for 5 days in New Jersey and not moving each night. This was my 3rd tour with you and I plan to do many more. Thank you! :)” – Sharon and Bill, Columbus, NE

“Lois and I went on the Myrtle Beach Tour, March 2-9, 2015.  It was a very good tour and the leader Annie was super, I mean Super!  She always made everybody comfortable and on time.  The Bus Driver George could not be beat.  He always made sure everyone got off the bus and was right there to help them.  I don’t believe you could have found a better one.  This was the 5th tour with you and it was the best.  You made a very good choice of Motels and Hotels, which is very important.” – Wylene and Lois, Scribner, NE

“This was my 1st bus tour, and I had a fabulous time.  The people were great and very nice and friendly.  We did some amazing cities and sites and were blessed with incredible weather.  I loved knowing I did not have to drive!  I always felt very safe and secure on this trip to the Northeast, on that I have always wanted to take!  Colors were absolutely BEAUTIFUL!  I will remember this trip forever for the people that I spent 12 days with and the sights I saw.” – Deb, Missouri Valley, IA

“Hello mjtours…Just returned from our first motor coach tour (fall in New England) and wanted to let you know we had a great time.  The bus was comfortable, the rooms were nice, and we saw a lot of scenery, cities, and sites.  Annie & Julie are definitely the A team of motor coach traveling…They kept us moving and entertained and went above and beyond to make an enjoyable trip for all. Thanks!” – Mike & Kelly, Kearney, NE.

“Virginia is a fantastic guide and George is a great driver.  Enjoyed the tour very much and hope to travel with them again!” – Julia and David, Rockport, MO

“This is our 9th trip.  We’ve enjoyed them all.”  – Chuck and Gloria, Council Bluffs, IA

“It was a wonderful trip, and we would highly recommend it to everyone.  Thanks for arranging the handicapped carriage at Mackinac Island.  It was perfect.” – Jim and Sharon, Brainard, NE

“First time tour-great time!  We will Definitely go again, very positive experience!” – Nancy, Omaha, NE

“We have been on 10-15 of their tours and they are the best.  Great drivers and tour directors. Nice hotels and fun things to do!” – Shirley, Atlantic, IA

“We took the Northeast United States tour last fall.  They do it ALL!!  The only way to go.”  – Sally, Harlan, IA

“I have been on 9 tours with Moostash Joe Tours and loved them all.  Even 2 overseas.  They take good care of you.” – Darlene, Lincoln, NE

“Moostash Joe Tours does a wonderful job.  Nile and I went with them many times through the years.  I would recommend them anytime.” – Joyce, Bellevue, NE

“Thanks for great times.  Your escorts are fantastic, hotels are great, and everything is good.” – Marsha, Battle Creek, NE

“The highest of ratings for Moostash Joe Tours — well-organized, reasonably-priced — we highly recommend them.” – Chuck and Joyce, Blair, NE

“Awesome fall tour.. hotels and beds comfy.. bus ride clean and comfortabl e and plug ins for your computers/  phones.. tour guide Annie exceptiona l and John..well  what can we say were here! We travel a few hours to get here..but well worth it!” – Sheryl, Omaha, NE

“Just returned from a Cape Cod Tour with Mary Ann and Rocky. This was a wonderful trip and my first with Moostash. I will NEVER travel with any other company again. Thanks.” – Darlene, Papillion, NE

“We had a wonderful trip! This was our first bus tour, and certainly won’t be our last!  Thanks again!” – Barbara, St. Joesph, MO

“We enjoyed the tour, and are grateful for all that I got to see and do.  My purpose for the trip was fulfilled.  The people were great and good camaraderie.  Virginia and George were superb and they are really good at what they do.  Very conscientious, organized and have great memories.  I am much appreciated and have much gratitude.” – Maureen, Hemingford, NE

“The Alaska Tour was my 53rd Trip with Moostash Joe Tours!” – Alberta, Omaha, NE

Routes and Services

Sandy Transit / SAM • 16610 Champion Way • Sandy, OR  • 97055 • 503-668-3466

All SAM schedules are written in English and Spanish. Todos los horarios de SAM están escritos en inglés y español. Other alternate formats available upon request.

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Sandy Operations Center

16610 Champion Way Sandy, OR 97055 (503) 668-3466

If you have questions about SAM or MHX bus service, routes, stops or times please email:  samdispatch@ci.sandy.or.us

If you have questions about transit tax, policies and programs or you wish to provide feedback on service, please email: sandyareametro@ci.sandy.or.us

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K-State News Kansas State University 128 Dole Hall 1525 Mid-Campus Dr North Manhattan, KS 66506

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Friends of the Kansas State University Gardens bus trip May 17 to tour Johnson County Master Gardens

Monday, April 15, 2024

MANHATTAN — The Friends of the Kansas State University Gardens organization has planned a public bus trip on Friday, May 17, to tour six homes on the 2024 Johnson County Master Gardeners Tour. The tour, organized by the Johnson County K-State Research and Extension Master Gardeners , gives guests the chance to explore and learn gardening design tips, such as which flowers to plant in the sun and which to plant in the shade, at six of the most beautiful private gardens in Kansas City. This all-day trip to six personal gardens and a buying spree at the six-acre Family Tree Nursery departs at 7 a.m. from the Manhattan Town Center southeast parking lot and returns at 8 p.m. Registration is $99 and includes round-trip coach travel, an admission ticket to the gardens, and a box lunch that includes three meat choices — plus vegetarian and gluten-free options — water, salad, chips and a brownie. Register to attend and select your lunch option by May 1. At each stop, tourgoers will have 35 minutes to walk around the home gardens. The final stop of the day will be a 90-minute visit to the nursery. Those interested in purchasing plants should bring a laundry basket lined with plastic to be stowed in the bus luggage compartment. Questions can be directed to Tim Lindemuth, chair of the Friends of the Gardens board education committee, at [email protected] .

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Tim Lindemuth [email protected]

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• Updated: 4/15/24

1 dead after shuttle bus crashes at a Honolulu cruise ship terminal

HONOLULU — One person died and multiple people were injured when a shuttle bus collided with pedestrians and concrete barriers at a Honolulu cruise ship terminal, authorities said Friday.

The crash occurred when the shuttle bus driver mistook the gas pedal for the brake, Honolulu police said in statement.

The driver had dropped off customers at Pier 2 when bystanders noticed the bus was moving forward, police said. The driver jumped in the driver’s seat and attempted to stop the vehicle when he stepped on the gas, police said.

One pedestrian, a 68-year-old woman, died. Paramedics took four others in their 50s and 60s to the hospital in serious condition. They also took a man in his 70s to the hospital in stable condition.

Paramedics evaluated and bandaged six others who declined transportation to the hospital, said Honolulu Emergency Medical Services spokesperson Shayne Enright.

Police said speed does not appear to be a factor in the crash. It’s unknown if drugs or alcohol were involved, police said.

The Associated Press

1 dead, several injured in Honolulu after shuttle bus crashes outside cruise terminal

One person has died and multiple people were injured in a shuttle bus crash in Honolulu , Hawaii on Friday.

"Nine Carnival Miracle guests were hit by a shuttle bus in the transportation area outside the Honolulu cruise terminal on Friday morning," Matt Lupoli, senior manager of the Carnival Cruise Line , told USA TODAY. "Sadly, one guest has died from her injuries. She was traveling with her husband, who was also injured and is expected to recover."

The shuttle bus crashed into pedestrians and two concrete barriers at the terminal. The shuttle bus driver mistakenly stepped on the gas pedal instead of the break when they attempted to stop the bus from moving, Hawaii News Now reported.

All of the victims were taken to local hospitals and are being treated for their injuries. The victims are in different conditions ranging from serious to stable, the news outlet said.

"Members of the Carnival Care Team are assisting the guests. Our thoughts are with the guests affected and their loved ones," Lupoli said.

USA TODAY has reached out to the  Honolulu Police Department and the Honolulu Emergency Medical Services for comment.

1 dead, 13 injured: After man crashes truck into Texas Department of Public Safety building

Eyewitnesses share their experience after the Honolulu shuttle bus crash, reports state

Eyewitness told KITV Island News that the relaxing Friday morning turned deadly after the shuttle bus crash.

"We heard the tire of a vehicle screeching," Lillian Le, a visitor from Denver told the broadcast station. "We looked and it was a bus running over people and hit against a wall."

An employee at the complex said he has never experienced this before.

"We saw the first responders coming, it was substantial, probably about 10 a.m., four or five ambulances, two fire trucks, ten cop cars, looked pretty bad - it's really distressing," Mark Elwell, an employee at the complex wher the accident occurred. "I've worked here 21 years, I've never seen anything to this magnitude, really sad to see, obviously people were hurt pretty bad to be taken away by ambulance."

Jessica Lani Rich, a visitor at the Aloha Society of Hawaii told KITV Island News that the woman who died was celebrating her 46th wedding anniversary with her husband.

Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at  [email protected] . Follow her on  Instagram ,  Threads  and  X @forbesfineest.

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These Notorious So-called 'Tourist Traps' Are Worth Visiting, According to Travelers

Travelers are speaking out to say these spots aren't half bad.

Evie Carrick is a writer and editor who’s lived in five countries and visited well over 50. She now splits her time between Colorado and Paris, ensuring she doesn't have to live without skiing or L'As du Fallafel.

Alex Livesey/FIFA via Getty Images

Ah, the traveler’s debacle: To follow the crowd to major, must-see sights knowing they’ll be met with overpriced services, entertainment, food, and souvenirs — or to avoid these sites completely and search out hidden gems void of other tourists. To some, visiting Paris without going up the Eiffel Tower isn’t seeing Paris , while to others, the complete opposite is true. 

It’s a question — or way of traveling — that isn’t always black-and-white. Most of us want to see the major sites — preferably without giant tour groups and overpriced crêpe stands — and stumble upon authentic places that few others will get to experience. So when is it worth following the crowd to a site you really want to see, even though it’s probably a tourist trap?

One user on Reddit , u/MarathonMarathon, posed that question , noting that for them, the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel in Shanghai was a tourist trap they ended up genuinely liking. “It's basically this short 5-minute tourist trap light show tram thing that takes you across the Huangpu River from the Bund to Pudong, with bizarre voice-overs. Sort of like some Disney attraction, but sadder, the very epitome of a kitsch tourist trap.”

The Reddit community responded, sharing the tourist-trap-inclined sites and tours that they genuinely liked and would recommend to others. Below are the “best” responses in order:

Maid of the Mist Boat Tour — Niagara Falls, U.S.

The 20-minute Maid of the Mist boat tour, which claims to be “the original Niagara Falls boat tour” — takes travelers to the foot of Niagara Falls where they can feel the power of 600,000 gallons of water crashing down and enjoy the resulting mist.

“You wait in line forever, the boat is packed, it seems cheesy ... and then you get up to the Falls and feel their power, you realize that the boat has the engine running at full power yet it struggles against the current and you realize that yeah, this is awesome,” said u/twoeightnine.

Original Sound of Music bus tour — Salzburg, Germany

The Original Sound of Music bus tour takes travelers through Salzburg, where "The Sound of Music" movie was filmed. The bus visits Mirabell Garden and Pegasus Fountain, where Maria and the children danced in the movie; Schloss Leopoldskron, the house, where the Trapp Family lived; and Church Mondsee, where Maria and Baron von Trapp got married, along with other sites.

User u/opuntialantana said the four-hour journey included, “Glorious views, drinks, snacks, and a Maria von Trapp lookalike leading us in singalongs as we drove from one filming location to the next. It was cheesy and it was perfect.”

Hobbiton Movie Set Tours — Matamata, New Zealand

At Hobbiton , visitors can walk through the lush pastures of the Shire and through the movie set used in "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" film trilogies. The part-bus, part-walking tour includes visits to the series’ most famous locations, including the Hobbit Hole where Bilbo and Frodo Baggins lived. 

The 2.5-hour tour ends with a visit to the Green Dragon Inn , where a free drink concludes the tour of Middle-earth.

Guinness Storehouse — Dublin

The home of Ireland’s most iconic beer offers daily self-guided tours that include entry to the Guinness tasting rooms and a pint of Guinness. If you’re a true beer or Guinness connoisseur, you can opt for a “ premium experience ,” like a guided tasting with storytelling or a tour through the brewery’s historic sites — including their famous underground tunnels.

“When anyone came to visit [sic] me I always took them there; it never got old! It’s a well-curated museum and of course, the tap room is always fun to go to. Also, all my Irish friends were happy to go with me when I first moved there so it seems to be well-liked among people that live there too,” said u/tcpower2.

Hofbräuhaus München — Munich

Reddit user u/Triple10X said they initially went to Hofbräuhaus München “just to say that we've been there.” But after visiting several smaller German beer halls they felt that Hofbräuhaus was the best. 

The three-floor beer hall has a Bavarian restaurant and ongoing shows that take place in a historic, 16th-century building. According to u/Triple10X, “The food we got was phenomenal, the beer was obviously good and the atmosphere was eclectic with multiple couples around us all talking to each other in different languages.”

Sir Paul McCartney’s Wings tour bus could fetch up to £200,000 at auction

A bus once used by Sir Paul McCartney during the 1972 Wings Over Europe tour is going under the hammer at auction.

The eye-catching double-decker bus was used by Sir Paul and Linda McCartney, as well as the rest of Wings, to travel more than 7,500 miles across nine countries and 25 cities during the summer of 1972 – with its psychedelic colour scheme ensuring nobody missed it wherever it went.

Completely and faithfully restored to its original heyday condition, the bus features wooden bunk beds, bright yellow colours and a bespoke cover for the upper deck which features “1972 Wings Tour Bus” graphics.

The top deck itself has been engineered as a performance space – now referred to as The McCartney Stage.

Sold by Car and Classic via online auction, the bus could fetch up to £200,000 by the time the hammer falls. The auction is set to run from April 22-29.

The bus is accompanied by artefacts and memorabilia donated by founding Wings member Danny Seiwell, while an official licence permits the use of artwork, logos and the names of both Paul and Linda McCartney.

Dale Vinten, Car & Classic head of editorial, said: “Just as [John] Lennon’s Rolls-Royce and the notable cars of other Beatles members carry the weight of history, tour buses tell a different story, and bear witness to the behind-the-scenes magic that fuels the onstage brilliance.

“This essence is perfectly encapsulated in the Wings tour bus, still adorned in its psychedelic colours, and restored to how it would’ve been when the McCartneys and the rest of the band toured Europe over the summer of 72.”

ICE SPICE's First LP

From debuts to do-overs, what it means to start an artistic life — at any age

Letter From the Editor

Clockwise from top left: Ice Spice, Sky Lakota-Lynch, Meg Stalter, Tyla, Sarah Pidgeon and Titus Kaphar.

T’s Culture issue looks at artistic beginnings in all their forms.

By Hanya Yanagihara

The First Stroke

Artemisia Gentileschi’s “Susanna and the Elders” (1610).

Why, even as they progress in their practices, all artists remain perpetual beginners.

By Aatish Taseer

Tracy Chapman (right).

Lester Cohen/Getty Images

Musicians, writers and others on the work that started it all for them — and on what, if anything, they’d change about it now.

Interviews by Lovia Gyarkye and Nicole Acheampong

When These Two First Worked Together

Marc Jacobs and Cindy Sherman.

Love, spats, splits and enduring affinity: creative partnerships that have stood the test of time.

Interviews by Ella Riley-Adams, Nick Haramis, Nicole Acheampong, Julia Halperin and Coco Romack

Begin Again

Jordi Roca.

Video by Anna Bosch Miralpeix

What it’s like to make new art after many years or amid new challenges — or to change careers completely.

Interviews by Michael Snyder, M.H. Miller and Emily Lordi

When the Beginning Is Also the End

Miguel Adrover.

Catarina Osório de Castro

People who found great creative success in one field — before life took them in a totally different direction.

By John Wogan and M.H. Miller

J u v e n i l i a

Do Ho Suh’s “Tiger Mask” (1971).

Courtesy of the artist © Do Ho Suh

What artists see when they look back at work they made in their youth.

Interviews by Julia Halperin, Kate Guadagnino and Juan A. Ramírez

A first album, a first restaurant, a first time on Broadway: Ten debuts happening right now.

Interviews by Juan A. Ramírez and Emily Lordi

How It Begins

Jenny Holzer.

Photographs by Nicholas Calcott

The very first steps, whether you’re an actor getting into character or an artist presenting the survey of your life’s work.

Interviews by Laura May Todd

The Beginners’ Hall of Fame

Tabboo!’s “Lavender Garden” (2023).

Courtesy of the artist and Karma

Six people who found a new creative calling later in life — or for whom recognition was long overdue.

By Jason Chen

Advice on Beginning

Kim Gordon.

Laura Levine/Corbis, via Getty Images

Ten creative minds on how to start, pivot and productively procrastinate.

Interviews by Kate Guadagnino

Courtesy of Joseph Dirand Architecture

We asked 80 artists and other creative people to tell us what they’re starting right now or hope to start very soon.

T’s Culture Issue: Beginners.

An exploration of artistic beginnings in all their forms.

There’s a reason all of us — magazine editors in particular, perhaps, but not only us — love an artistic debut. It’s not just that those releasing their first album, book or movie, or having their first gallery exhibit or Broadway show, are usually young; it’s that they embody that most delicious and evanescent of qualities: promise. Any painter could be the next Rothko or Basquiat; any singer could be the next Joni or Aretha. There the new artist sits, poised between our expectations and their unwritten reality. Becoming emotionally invested in an untested creative life is like becoming financially invested in an exciting new company — should they (or it) work, the reward is not just theirs but ours. “See?” we tell ourselves. “We knew it all along.”

But the real test of being an artist isn’t the first album, book, movie or Broadway show, as significant as those accomplishments are. It’s what happens after. All artists know that living a true creative life means facing an endless series of beginnings: It’s starting over after setbacks; it’s pushing forward through doubt and despair; it’s trying again when someone tells you no; it’s slogging ahead when no one seems to like or care about what you make; it’s ignoring the voice inside you that tells you to stop; it’s striving and failing, again and again and again. There is no point of complete security, no award or recognition that bestows total confidence — a life in art means that, to some degree, you’re starting anew every day. As the novelist Andrew Holleran tells T, “Writing is basically unconscious, and you don’t get any smarter about it. Imagine a brain surgeon who didn’t learn from each operation? We’d be horrified. But when you sit down to write, you’re always wondering how to do it.”

On the covers, clockwise from top left: ICE SPICE wears a Burberry dress, $2,290, burberry.com ; Graff necklace, price on request, graff.com ; and her own earrings and ring. Photographed by Shikeith. Styled by Ian Bradley. Makeup by Karina Milan at the Wall Group. SKY LAKOTA-LYNCH wears a Canali coat, $3,060, canali.com ; and a Bode jacket, $1,080, bode.com . Photographed by Shikeith. Styled by Delphine Danhier. Hair by Tsuki at Streeters. Makeup by Jamal Scott for YSL Beauty. MEG STALTER . Photographed by Shikeith. Styled by Delphine Danhier. Hair by Tiago Goya at Home Agency using Oribe. Makeup by Holly Silius at R3-MGMT. TYLA wears a Ferragamo top, $1,190, and earrings, $730, ferragamo.com . Photographed by Shikeith. Styled by Sasha Kelly. Hair by Christina “Tina” Trammell. Makeup by Jamal Scott for YSL Beauty. SARAH PIDGEON wears a Gucci dress, $24,500, gucci.com . Photographed by Shikeith. Styled by Delphine Danhier. Hair by Tsuki at Streeters. Makeup by Jamal Scott for YSL Beauty. TITUS KAPHAR wears a Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello coat, $4,900, ysl.com . Photographed by Shikeith. Styled by Delphine Danhier. Hair by Tsuki at Streeters. Makeup by Jamal Scott for YSL Beauty.

In this issue, we look at what it means for an artist to begin, from actual debuts (such as Sky Lakota-Lynch, one of our cover stars, who’s appearing this spring in “The Outsiders,” his first original Broadway role) to do-overs (such as Jon Bon Jovi, about to embark on tour after throat surgery and a 40-year career, or the cabaret performer turned visual artist Justin Vivian Bond). And though the artists who appear in these pages are all different, they share a spirit of generosity: It’s no easy thing to give voice to your dreams and insecurities, much less to do so publicly. Their collective perseverance — a mix of dogged determination and wild hope — is a reminder for all of us that a creative life, that all life, takes nerve. It takes humility. It takes a kind of arrogance that sees you through the most barren periods.

And by the way: You don’t need to be young to lead a creative life. All you have to do is start. Start — and then never stop.

On March 12, as we were readying this issue to go to press, one of our colleagues, Carter Love, T’s senior photography editor, died. He was 41.

Being a good photo editor demands taste and a sense of coordination. For a fashion or celebrity shoot, they, along with the creative director and style director, assemble teams: the photographer, of course, but also the stylist, models, hair and makeup artists and set designers. For a travel story, the photo editor selects and hires the fixer, the photographer, the location scout, the translator and the transportation. Once on set, a photo editor stays until the very end of the shoot, even if the shoot goes all day. Carter worked on these — and many other — kinds of stories, often simultaneously; in this issue alone, he produced a dozen images, from the portrait of the longtime collaborators Cindy Sherman and Marc Jacobs to the picture of the fashion designer turned photographer Miguel Adrover.

Along with his native senses of taste and coordination, Carter was — crucially — able to laugh at the absurdities, the unexpected little (and not-so-little) disasters that inevitably arise during a shoot, no matter how thorough the planning: rain on a day when sun was predicted; equipment stuck in customs; a subject’s last-minute cancellation. He had a big laugh, resonant and full, which everyone in the office could hear; at work parties, he sometimes broke into song. In addition to his big laugh, he had a big voice. He was tall and wiry and quick moving, with magnificent red hair — I’d often look up from my desk and see his head and torso streaking across the top of the cubicle walls, hurrying off somewhere.

One of Carter’s most used phrases was “absolutely.” Could I see more options from this shoot? “Absolutely.” Could I have a list of the talent that had already confirmed? “Absolutely.” Thanks, Carter, for this new information. “Absolutely.”

Barely a week after his death, that word keeps beating in my head. Will we always ask ourselves why he had to die? Absolutely. Were we lucky to work with him? Absolutely. Will we miss him? Absolutely. Absolutely. Absolutely.

Digital production and design: Danny DeBelius, Amy Fang, Chris Littlewood, Coco Romack, Carla Valdivia Nakatani and Jamie Sims.

ONE EVENING 17 years ago, V.S. Naipaul came to dinner at my flat in Delhi. The writer, who had become something of a mentor to me, was transfixed by a painting I had bought a few years before. It was a self-portrait, over 7 feet tall and 5 feet wide. “I find it hypnotic,” Naipaul said, filing away spoonfuls of yellow dal. Observing the beauty of the hand clasped (as if in horror) over the mouth, the thumb livid against the dark hollows of the eyes, he added of the artist, “This is someone who has really seen, who has gone back again and again to see.”

Listen to this article, read by Neil Shah

I was at the beginning of my writing career, using my first advances to collect a few works of art. It was thrilling to have someone with as discerning an eye as Naipaul’s — “the brilliant noticer,” in the words of the literary critic James Wood — approve of “How Did You Sleep?” (2002), but it also made me sad. Its creator, Zack, who’d been a close friend at Amherst College in Massachusetts in the late 1990s, had recently given up painting, and “How Did You Sleep?” had become a symbol to me of the precarity of what it means to get started as an artist.

The Italian artist Artemisia Gentileschi was 17 in 1610 when she painted “Susanna and the Elders” (above). She went on to be the 17th century’s most accomplished female painter.

Zack, now 43, was of a mixed-race background from Topeka, Kan. After struggling with feelings of inferiority in our first year related to his public school education, he taught himself to paint from scratch. I would visit him and watch as he, dressed in paint-stained khakis and New Balance sneakers, toiled away at the self-portraits that were his trademark. He was a model to me of artistic labor and discipline, even if those early paintings were painfully amateurish.

Then, in our last semester, having been abroad a while, I entered Fayerweather Hall for the art department’s end-of-year show and saw “How Did You Sleep?” I was dumbstruck. I’m not sure I would’ve even been able to recognize it as Zack’s work — so prodigious had been his development as a painter — if it hadn’t been a self-portrait. Painted in the wake of 9/11, it showed the artist in a blue shirt with an expression of prophetic terror, as if watching a disaster foretold. I remember wanting to own it because it was proof, like none I had ever had before, that there really did exist such a thing in the world as raw talent. I persuaded Zack to sell it to me. The painting followed me from Amherst to my first job in New York, and on to London and Delhi.

By the time Naipaul saw it, Zack was working in strategic and financial communications in New York and no longer painting — “Every notary bears within him the debris of a poet,” Gustave Flaubert tells us. “My new job is intense,” Zack had written to say. “It’ll be good for a few years, but it’s not a career.” But neither was art; and Zack, who works as a researcher at Google now, was my first fearful example of how that mythical thing we call talent is real, and how talent alone isn’t enough.

IT WASN’T MY intention to start an essay about artistic beginnings with a story of artistic death. I love those romantic tales of creative daring and breakthrough: the English travel writer and novelist Bruce Chatwin quitting his job at The Sunday Times of London’s magazine with a simple telegram that read, “Have gone to Patagonia”; or, more dramatically, Paul Gauguin abandoning his wife, kids and job as a salesman to pursue his dream of being a painter. I love the improbability of the lives that could not have been: Salman Rushdie, the adman; W. Somerset Maugham, the doctor; the director Kathryn Bigelow, renovating dilapidated apartments in New York with the then-obscure composer Philip Glass. I remember Arundhati Roy teaching my mother and aunt aerobics in the basement of the Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi before going on to win the Booker Prize for her debut novel, “The God of Small Things” (1997). It’s exhilarating to see destiny pick those who could but only have been artists out of the mundanity of their lives and light the way to a life of vocation.

I’m especially moved by those first moments of validation by which an artist comes out to himself, as it were. Consider Joseph Conrad in his mid-30s, working aboard the ship Torrens, with the manuscript of his first novel, “Almayer’s Folly” (1895). It had acquired, he writes in “A Personal Record” (1912), “a faded look and an ancient, yellowish complexion.” At sea, Conrad met his first reader, Jacques, a “young Cambridge man.” “Well, what do you say?” Conrad, brimming with anxiety, asked his new friend. “Is it worth finishing?” “ ‘Distinctly,’ he answered, in his sedate, veiled voice,” Conrad recalls years later, “and then coughed a little.” With that one word, Jacques, who was soon to be carried away by a fatal cold, had given a seafaring Polish exile a vital nod of encouragement. “The purpose instilled into me by his simple and final ‘Distinctly,’” writes Conrad, one of literature’s late bloomers (he was 38 when he published his first novel), “remained dormant, yet alive to await its opportunity.”

This quiet admission to oneself, as sacred as the vows of priesthood, of wanting to undertake the creative life is a necessary step; but like talent, it’s not enough. To be an artist is not a private act but a public one. No artist is born into a vacuum, or later speaks into one. They are as much a product of the society they emerge from as a response to it. Nor is artistic expression all spirit, all feeling. As Naipaul has frequently noted, writers require a complex edifice of interlocking parts — an infrastructure, if you will — to thrive. More broadly speaking, all successful artists rely on a network of critics, journals and newspapers, a discerning audience, bookshops and concert halls and galleries — which is generations in the making, presupposing certain values, certain economic and political realities. The Ukrainian-born novelist Clarice Lispector came of age in the Brazil of the 1920s. At 13, she “consciously claimed the desire to write,” as her biographer Benjamin Moser quotes her in “Why This World” (2009), but no sooner had she claimed her destiny than she felt herself in a void. The idea of vocation had been instilled in her, but that didn’t mean she knew how to proceed. “Writing was always difficult for me,” Lispector once wrote, “even though I had begun with what is known as vocation. Vocation is different from talent. One can have vocation and not talent; one can be called and not know how to go.”

Lispector had both vocation and talent, but what makes any artist’s first steps so tentative is that the path forward is narrower than we imagine. We come into the world believing we can be a great many things (and for a great many this is true) but, for those destined to be artists, the creative choices they make are almost as limited as the choice of being an artist itself. Maugham wanted to demystify the impulse that had him give up medicine to answer his calling as a novelist. “I am a writer as I might have been a doctor or a lawyer,” he writes in “The Summing Up,” his 1938 literary memoir, but, soon after that, despite himself, Maugham stumbles on that aspect of the artistic life that eludes banalization, for it’s truly mysterious — namely, the bond between the artist and his subject. “Though the whole world,” writes Maugham, “with everyone in it and all its sights and events, is your material, you yourself can only deal with what corresponds to some secret spring in your own nature.” 

“Vanitas Still Life” (circa 1665-70) by Jan van Kessel the Elder, who was from a long line of celebrated Flemish painters — Pieter Bruegel the Elder was his great-grandfather — and was perhaps destined to be an artist.

It’s this, the inexorability of the correspondence between an artist and the world, that gives those first steps their magical quality. It represents a rebirth so profound that it can often entail the killing off of a former self. One of my literary heroes, the writer Rebecca West — the author of that magisterial work of travel, inquiry and sympathy “Black Lamb and Grey Falcon: A Journey Through Yugoslavia” (1940) — was abandoned (as I was) by her father as a child. In late Victorian England, it left her with an exaggerated regard for what were seen as male qualities, as well as the need to compensate for their absence. “Men, she felt,” writes J.R. Hammond in “H.G. Wells and Rebecca West” (1991), his biography of their romantic and literary relationship, “should be strong and dependable; deep inside herself she sensed they were not to be trusted.” These gendered dynamics were surely at work as West, first making her way in the world at age 20, sloughed off the softer given name of Cissie Fairfield to adopt, as a pseudonym, the name of the spirited protagonist of Henrik Ibsen’s play “Rosmersholm” (1886).

No artist is without this set of special circumstances. They are the ground from which the need for expression arises. The path forward comes upon the artist-in-waiting with the power of certain mathematical proofs, elegant, inevitable, at once simple and inscrutable. “Falling in love for the first time and getting started as a writer,” my friend the writer Karan Mahajan, 39, the author of the novels “Family Planning” (2008) and “The Association of Small Bombs” (2016), replied by email when I asked him what it had been like for him, “both things happened at once for me. Suddenly, I had my material, and it encompassed all aspects of my life: my childhood in Delhi; immigration to the United States as a student; a future decided by plane journeys. I could love myself as the other loved me.”

For the Pakistani-born American painter Salman Toor, 40, the moment when, he says, “something vital clicked into place” meant that he suddenly found himself in “a direct relationship” between the things he was thinking and talking about every day and the paintings he was at work on. “In 2016,” he says, “I did a few paintings out of a need to be completely honest with myself. I wanted to illustrate the stories I was bursting to tell. A lot of these stories were about coming out and showing the excitement, anxieties and challenges of belonging to multiple cultures and living a cute little life in the East Village.”

The date surprised me. I had been aware of Toor’s work for almost a decade before this moment. To me, he was the painter of a certain kind of South Asian disquiet. No one captured the massive cultural and economic disparities of my life in Delhi (and his in Lahore) like Toor. Upon scenes of revelry and privilege — a party, a picnic, a rich westernized couple frolicking out of doors with a glass of wine and an iPhone — he would, in the form of servants in the background looking on, introduce an element of unease that hinted at the fragility of the societies we lived in. But quite unbeknown to me, Toor’s life in New York had opened up a new vein of material. To put it another way, he had begun again. And this is what we tend to forget: In the careers of certain artists, those who make big, varied bodies of work in which different strands of their experience are subsumed, the business of beginning, and beginning again, never ceases. Each new beginning brings with it all the uncertainty and blankness of the first. Experience might protect such an artist from forcing what’s clearly not working, but that core anxiety of not knowing if one will create again always remains. “Do not worry,” Hemingway would console himself, “you have always written before and you will write now.”

WHAT CONSTITUTES A beginning? In the common conception, it’s the first book, the first album, the first show at a major gallery. Yet an artist has myriad private ways in which they mark moments of true breakthrough. My childhood friend the sitarist and composer Anoushka Shankar, 42, regards her fourth album as her first. She had grown up under the influence of her mighty father, Ravi Shankar, the man credited with having introduced Indian classical music to the West. Every artist struggles with what the literary critic Harold Bloom has called the anxiety of influence but, in Anoushka’s case, it was even more pronounced. As she told me, Ravi Shankar was “my guru, my teacher, my father.” It was he who had composed her first three albums.

Ravi, before he went on to become the greatest sitarist of his generation, had been part of a dance troupe led by his brother Uday, which caused a sensation in the Europe and America of the 1930s. “Hindu thought, alive, authentic, in flesh and bone, in sound, gesture and spirit,” is how the French mystic René Daumal describes the Shankar troupe in his book “Rasa” (1982), but Ravi was conflicted. He eventually broke with the troupe and dedicated himself entirely to the sitar. “He had a real directional shift that I didn’t have,” Anoushka says. Her beginnings, though she was six decades younger than her father, were in a sense more traditional. They entailed the surprise of finding newness within tradition. “I think my journey,” she says, “was more progressively finding how the thing that was in front of me — the sitar, namely — the thing that had been given to me, could be my outlet, could be my voice.” 

A coda to this intergenerational tale of artistic beginnings is the story of Anoushka’s half sister, Norah Jones, who spent years of her childhood estranged from her father and grew up in Texas with her American mother. At a time when both Anoushka and I were discovering our half siblings, I remember going to see Norah play at little-known clubs on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. She was staking claim to what felt like a genetic destiny in music, though in a tradition entirely different from that of her father and sister. I don’t know if I’ve ever witnessed beginnings as meager and transformational as these for, not long after, Norah’s debut album, “Come Away With Me” (2002), was released; it went on to win five Grammys, sell 30 million copies and all but save the piracy-shattered music industry.

We live in a society that prizes the individual above all else but, in the art of premodern Europe and classical India, to begin as an artist didn’t necessarily entail breaking with tradition, nor was it given to every artist to be original. “Raphael was adept at this,” writes Rachel Cusk in her travel memoir “The Last Supper: A Summer in Italy” (2009), in which she describes the Italian Renaissance painter’s relationship to his first guru, Perugino. Raphael had become so good at imitating Perugino, Cusk tells us, that the copies of his master’s work were indistinguishable from the originals. The art of pastiche, of inhaling the influence of an older admired artist so completely that it enters your soul, exists today, too. The South African writer J.M. Coetzee’s early works owe a huge debt to Samuel Beckett, as Rushdie’s do to Gabriel García Márquez and Thomas Pynchon’s to James Joyce. The difference in the modern era is that influence is something we must shrug off in order to become our own people, yet not everyone can. Cusk deals very movingly with Raphael’s quest (and ultimate failure) to be his own man. In a field crowded with giants such as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, he “retreated behind the mask of humility, never to come out again.” But far from this being his downfall as an artist, it, too, was a kind of beginning. “In the end,” writes Cusk, “his borrowing of such greatness amounted to greatness itself. Not everyone who sees a Michelangelo can go off and paint a Michelangelo.”

THERE ARE SO many ways to begin. I said it wasn’t my intention to open with a story of artistic death, but I never explained why I did. The reason is that after six books, and 20 years after writing my first publishable sentences, stamina, endurance and the ability to stay the course have come to mean at least as much to me as that first raw efflorescence of talent. If Zack’s story acquired the force of parable for me, it was because it showed me the vanity of our preoccupation with talent. Many with fewer gifts who are yet more steadfast go on to have brilliant careers as artists. There’s an undeniable mystery in why some among us become artists, but there’s a greater mystery to me still in those who survive the vicissitudes of creative life, leaving behind bodies of work through which there runs an arc of growth as sublime as the vaulting of a Gothic cathedral.

A true artist always brings something new into the world. A new color, a new complexion, a new way of looking — a “new kind of beauty,” to use Marcel Proust’s phrase for the special distinctiveness he felt that Fyodor Dostoyevsky had brought to literature. We make the mistake of thinking of that newness as an externality, a scaffolding, a mere matter of style. But in fact, the originality we detect on the surface is an emanation from the birth of a new idea. It’s something far more radical, far more unnerving, than we are prepared to accept. Real artists bring about real rupture. We want to domesticate the discomfort that makes us feel but, deep down, we know the old rules no longer apply; and for one fleeting moment, our world, with us in it, is laid bare, transfigured by the imagination of someone who has dared to see it anew.

Read by Neil Shah. Narration produced by Emma Kehlbeck. Engineered by Quinton Kamara

Amy Tan , 72, writer, on “The Joy Luck Club” (1989)

Tan with her mother, Daisy Tan, in San Francisco in 1989. The author’s 11th book, “The Backyard Bird Chronicles,” a collection of illustrated essays, is out this month.

Robert Foothorap

I was a business writer [of marketing materials for companies and brochures for their employees] in the mid-1980s and, even though I was successful, I was unhappy. I wasn’t doing anything meaningful. Writing fiction allowed me, through subterfuge, to access emotional realms that I hadn’t explored before. When you write your first novel, you tend to include a lot of autobiographical elements. “The Joy Luck Club” [about the lives of four Chinese immigrant women and their American-born daughters] became deeply personal without my knowing it. I wasn’t consciously writing about racism or generational divides, even though that’s exactly what I was writing about. At that time [Tan was 37 when the book came out], I was just trying to find a story.

Courtesy of Putnam © 1989 Gretchen Schields. Photo by Joshua Scott

People got all kinds of things out of it. They said it saved their marriage or helped their relationships. I felt wonderful about that, but I couldn’t take credit. I didn’t intend to write a book that was going to improve people’s lives. That would’ve been a noble pursuit but, to do that, I’d have had to come up with a book that was very different — less spontaneous and honest. Without a doubt, what made me proudest was that my mother read it. She wasn’t proficient in English, but she understood it more than anybody else. — L.G.

Avril Lavigne , 39, musician, on “Let Go” (2002)

Lavigne at a recording studio in Cologne, Germany, in 2002. The musician’s new tour, “Avril Lavigne: The Greatest Hits,” begins next month.

Fryderyk Gabowicz/Picture Alliance/Getty Images

I remember going into the studio and people trying to tell me what to do or how my music should be, but I knew what I wanted to create. “Let Go” reflects how I felt as a young girl coming into the music industry. I was 15 when I got signed and 16 when I made that album. I had all this angst and rebellion, and I wanted to be expressive in that tone. But the adults around me kept delivering cheesy song ideas, and I wasn’t feeling the way people were playing the guitar. It was all too light and fluffy; that’s the stuff that made me run.

Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment and Avril Lavigne

When I went to Los Angeles and connected with [the album’s co-writers Lauren Christy, Graham Edwards and Scott Spock of] the Matrix and Clif Magness, they were way cooler and more open-minded. Lauren and I spent a lot of time together. I sat with her in the backyard on a picnic blanket writing “Complicated”; we really connected. I was finally understood. The production was a little poppy for me. If I had to redo the album today, I’d tweak some things here and there production-wise and apply some of my experience from the past 20 years. Still, the important songs like “Sk8er Boi” and “Complicated” rocked enough — they had the live guitar and drums — and “I’m With You” wasn’t too polished. On songs like “Unwanted” and “Losing Grip,” we really went all the way — no holding back. — L.G.

Chloë Sevigny , 49, actress, on “Kids” (1995)

Sevigny at the Jersey Shore in 1995. The actress, who has appeared in over 50 features, recently shot “Bonjour Tristesse,” an upcoming adaptation of the 1954 Françoise Sagan novel.

From left: Lila Lee-Morrison; © Shining Excalibur Pictures/courtesy of Everett Collection

© Shining Excalibur Pictures/Courtesy of Everett Collection

I still find the marketing around “Kids” [about a day in the life of some wayward New York City teenagers] a little outrageous: “The most shocking film of the year!” “A must-see!” But it worked. A lot of us making it thought of it as a cautionary tale, but so many kids have come up to me and said, “That’s why I moved to New York. I wanted to live that life.” I was an amateur [at 19, when I made the film]. I knew the cinematographer, Eric Alan Edwards. He’d shot [Gus Van Sant’s 1991 movie] “My Own Private Idaho,” and I thought the acting in that was impeccable. I trusted that if something [in my performance] was false, he’d say something. I don’t know why, but I just gave myself over to [Edwards and the director, Larry Clark]; I trusted that they wanted to get to the truth of things.

The hardest scene for me to shoot was when [my character, 15-year-old Jennie] is at the clinic receiving information that she’d contracted H.I.V. I thought, “How does one even begin to try to act that?” I was very tentative. If I were to approach that scene now, I think I’d have the confidence to try more things — one take crying, others doing this and that. At the time, I was trying to be as real as I thought I could be on camera with a crew around me.

I’m surprised that “Kids” is still making such an impact, but I’m also not. Afterward, I thought, “OK, this set a bar. These are the kinds of people I want to work with.” — N.A.

King, the author of over 70 books, with his wife, Tabitha, and their children (from left) Joe, Owen and Naomi at their house in Orrington, Maine, in 1979. His next book, a short-story collection titled “You Like It Darker,” will be published in May.

James Leonard

Stephen King , 76, writer, on “Carrie” (1974)

One of my rules about writing is similar to a rule in [the card game] Hearts: If it’s laid, it’s played. I have a tendency not to go back and reread things, particularly with “Carrie” [a horror novel about a bullied high school student capable of telekinesis]. I’m afraid of how naïve it may be, how much it might be the work of a very young writer. It’s like when you’re a kid and you don’t know how to behave. You look back on certain things and say, “I shouldn’t have grabbed that,” or, “That wasn’t polite.” I don’t want to go back and see that my shirttail was untucked or my fly was unzipped.

Courtesy of Doubleday. Photo by Joshua Scott

I’d change a lot. It would have a little more depth when it came to the characters. Remember, it started as a short story. I had this idea about a girl with paranormal powers who was going to get revenge on the girls who made fun of her. It was too long for the markets that I had in mind, and I didn’t know very much about girls anyway, particularly girls’ gym classes and locker rooms, so I threw the story away. My wife fished it out of the trash, uncrumpled the pages, looked at it and said, “This is pretty good. I’ll help you.” It’s a very short book, way under 300 pages. Also, there are pejoratives that were common then that I wouldn’t use now, even though they’re realistic and come out of the mouths of characters we don’t like. On the whole, I must’ve done a fairly good job because the book was published [when I was 26] and [in 1976] they made a movie out of it.

One of the things I think about a lot was that my mother got to read it. She had cancer at that point and died before any of my other books were published. Because of “Carrie,” I had a chance to take care of her and get her in a hospice. By then we had the money, otherwise we would’ve been out of luck. — L.G.

Holleran in Florida in the 1980s. Three of the author’s five novels, including “Dancer From the Dance,” were republished in paperback this past December.

From left: Lee Calvin Yeomans, courtesy of Andrew Holleran; Ian Dickson/Shutterstock

Ian Dickson/Shutterstock

Andrew Holleran , 79, writer, on “Dancer From the Dance” (1978)

“Dancer” has had a life of its own, which I could’ve never predicted. I wrote the book at my parents’ house in Florida one winter [when I was 33]. It was going to be the last book I ever wrote, because I’d been writing for 10 years after graduating from an M.F.A. program and had only had one story published in a magazine. I said to myself, “You have to stop now and go to law school.” Luckily, the book came out of me very quickly and, in retrospect, became a description of six years I’d spent in New York. It was very easy because I’d obviously touched something that mattered to me.

I’ve never reread “Dancer” [about gay life in 1970s New York] so, while I’m sure that if I did, I’d revise, revise, revise, I can’t imagine changing any of it. The campy style of the letters that frame the book is probably outdated, which is a shame since I love camp.

I’ve learned since then that writing is basically unconscious, and you don’t get any smarter about it. Imagine a brain surgeon who didn’t learn from each operation? We’d be horrified. But when you sit down to write, you’re always wondering how to do it. — L.G.

Harry and Stein, of the rock band Blondie, in the U.K. in 1977. Stein’s memoir, “Under a Rock,” will be published in June.

From left: Jeff Gilbert/Alamy Stock Photo; CBW/Alamy Stock Photo

CBW/Alamy Stock Photo

Debbie Harry , 78, and Chris Stein , 74, musicians, on “Blondie” (1976)

Debbie Harry: We recorded “Blondie” [when Harry was 30 and Stein was 25] in a studio used by jazz musicians, and there wasn’t a lot of fancy recording technique. It was a different era. I think the fact that the album wasn’t overproduced gives it a kind of timelessness. We still perform some of those songs. Every once in a while, we drag up “X Offender” and “Rip Her to Shreds.”

Our music wasn’t just about one style or sound; we had songs that expressed different feelings and attitudes in music. A lot of things, like “Man Overboard” [a danceable heartbreak track], we really didn’t pull off the way I think Chris wanted to, but it’s there.

Chris Stein: That song would’ve worked fantastic with a dembow beat [but I wasn’t introduced to reggaeton until years later]. If I were to change anything about the album, it’d have more to do with the production than what we were slapping on the tape. Generally, we’d just go in and do a bunch of takes, pick the best one, throw some stuff on it and that was pretty much it. There was hardly any overdubbing. We learned so much from the producer Mike Chapman a couple of years later — the difference between “Blondie” and our later albums was like night and day.

Still, I like “Blondie.” It represents how we felt at the time and what was happening to us. When I look back on it, I think of the whole downtown milieu and a period in New York that I don’t know if anyone thought we’d be talking about 50 years later. — L.G.

Smith at her mother’s home in northwest London in 2000. The author’s sixth novel, “The Fraud,” was published last year.

Courtesy of William Morrow. Photo by Joshua Scott

Zadie Smith , 48, writer, on “White Teeth” (2000)

I love the joy in my novel “White Teeth” [a multigenerational story of race and identity among the residents of London’s Willesden neighborhood], even though I haven’t picked it up in 25 years. Back then [Smith was 24 when the book came out], I was trying to write about people; I was interested in the interpersonal above all else. The people in the neighborhood I came from were always described in a manner of pathology, and I was trying to explain that we weren’t pathological. I was always writing around this kind of elephant in the room, which is what you know people have already assumed about your characters. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve had to do less of that because I’ve got company. There are so many writers from so many countries, particularly in West Africa, [that] I wanted to see as a child.

Courtesy of Penguin Random House

I’ve become more interested in power lately. I’m very aware of being like the Ancient Mariner, that the structures I’m talking about that made life not always pathological have vanished. The conditions of the characters in “White Teeth” — their decent health care, their reasonable housing, their free university education — are gone. I’m still on the side of joy, but the question is, what kind of structures allow people to experience it. As I’ve gotten older, I write about them not out of nostalgia but out of political urgency. — L.G.

Left: a mock-up of Lin’s 493-foot Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Right: Lin with her parents, Julia Chang Lin and Henry Huan Lin, at her Yale graduation in 1981. The designer’s 44th sculpture, for the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, is scheduled to be completed next year.

Courtesy of Maya Lin (2)

Lin with her parents, Julia Chang Lin and Henry Huan Lin, at her Yale graduation in 1981. The designer’s 44th sculpture, for the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, is scheduled to be completed next year.

Courtesy of Maya Lin

Maya Lin , 64, sculptor, on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (1982) in Washington, D.C.

It was a battle to keep the Vietnam Veterans Memorial simple and spare. I was moved by World War I memorials built by the French and British. They offered a much more realistic and sobering look at the high price of war, which is human life. When I went to the site [of what would become the monument] on Thanksgiving break [in 1980, when I was 20 and in my junior year at Yale], I felt a need to cut the earth and open it up. The structure isn’t so much an object inserted into the earth; it’s the earth itself being polished like a geode. I considered everything, even the walkway, which was put in to intentionally separate the wall from the ground. If you put the granite sidewalk all the way up against the wall, it would no longer be a polished geode — it’d be a curb. I put grass there. But no one could have predicted how popular it would be, so people trampled the grass and it died.

A year or two after the memorial was built, unbeknown to me, the architects of record worked with [the National] Park Service to put in [Belgian blocks on either side of the granite path]. That needs to be rethought because it’s an ugly detail. They’re out of scale. It drives me crazy every time I see it. — L.G.

Chapman with the producer David Kershenbaum at a Los Angeles recording studio in 1987. The musician’s debut album will be reissued on vinyl this summer to mark its 35th anniversary.

From left: Lester Cohen/Getty Images; courtesy of Elektra Records

Courtesy of Elektra Records

Tracy Chapman , 60, musician, on “Tracy Chapman” (1988)

I had this notion when I first started writing songs that to respect the muse — or whatever source of inspiration brought me to put pen to paper — I shouldn’t do any editing. The first thing that came to me was meant to be. “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution,” which I wrote when I was 16, emerged from that mind-set. It was one of those songs that came out in one sitting. It’s a very forceful declaration.

A song like “Fast Car,” which I wrote when I was maybe 22, wasn’t a very long process, but it reflected a different strategy about songwriting. It was more about revelation, sharing a story about a person and the changes happening in their life. I made edits to “Fast Car.” I definitely changed words and lines. I’m too embarrassed to tell you exactly what, but it was the verse that starts “See, my old man’s got a problem.” Let’s just say that there was something else there.

In some ways, writing a song is about asking and answering questions: “Who is this character, why are they doing this and where is the story going?” When I was young, I thought all these questions could be answered with the first iteration of the song. I’m not as enamored with this idea that the very first thing that comes to mind is what I have to remain committed to. — L.G.

Jewel , 49, musician, on “Pieces of You” (1995)

Jewel at the musician Neil Young’s private studio in Northern California in 1994. An immersive exhibit of the singer-songwriter’s work will open at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Ark., in May.

Courtesy of the Jewel Kilcher Archive and Bershaw Archival Management

What’s important to me about “Pieces of You” is that I made an honest album. I liked [the writers] Charles Bukowski and Anaïs Nin because they told the truth about themselves, and it wasn’t always pretty. With my work, my goal was to be just as honest. “Pieces of You” wasn’t more developed than I was — I didn’t know how to play with a band, and I didn’t choose a producer who’d make me sound slicker or lend their experience to make me sound more polished. I wanted it to be a snapshot of who I was [between 16 and 19]: inexperienced, emotionally charged and trying to figure life out.

Courtesy of Craft Recordings and Jewel

Writing was medicine for me. I had extreme anxiety, panic attacks and agoraphobia. I wrote songs to calm myself down and to help me fall asleep at night. I never wrote them thinking I’d have a career. There wasn’t really a craft — it was more about what comforted me, what suited me, what interested me to think and write about. I was an avid reader, and a lot of my writing took after Flannery O’Connor, [John] Steinbeck and [Anton] Chekhov, like short stories put to music.

I remember writing at that age that I didn’t want my music to be my best work of art — I wanted my life to be my best work of art. I take music seriously, but I take that promise to myself more seriously. — L.G.

These interviews have been edited and condensed.

JANE FONDA AND LILY TOMLIN, ACTRESSES Have co-starred in three films and a TV show, from “9 to 5” (1980) to “80 for Brady” (2023).

Video by Kurt Collins

JANE FONDA: It was 1978, and I heard that Lily Tomlin was performing in a [one-woman] show called “Appearing Nitely” in Los Angeles. I don’t know how many characters she played, but she embodied them all so fully. I was smitten. I went backstage to meet her. At the time, I was in the process of developing “9 to 5” [the 1980 comedy about a trio of female office workers who overthrow the company’s sexist boss] and, as I was driving home, I thought, “I don’t want to be in a movie about secretaries unless Lily Tomlin is in it.”

LILY TOMLIN: She swept in backstage with a big cape on. We couldn’t believe it — this was Jane Fonda! For a couple of years, I’d worn a hairdo from “Klute” [the 1971 thriller for which Fonda won an Oscar], but I didn’t have it when she showed up that day. I was like, “Why did I drop my ‘Klute’ hairdo at this propitious time?”

J.F.: It took a good year to convince Lily and Dolly [Parton, the film’s other lead] to do the movie. It’s not that they weren’t interested, but it was very difficult. Why was it so difficult, Lily?

L.T.: I think I was that way about everything.

From left: Fonda, 86, and Tomlin, 84, photographed at Hubble Studio in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, on Jan. 29, 2024.

Kanya Iwana

J.F.: You are that way about everything: “I don’t know if I can do this. I’m not right for the part.” You do that every time. But it was your idea to get Colin Higgins to direct and to cast Dabney Coleman [as the boss]. You should’ve been the one producing it! My only decision was to make the movie, because one of my close friends, [the former director of the U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau] Karen Nussbaum, would tell me stories about organizing women office workers and what they had to go through.

L.T.: I thought I had some lines that were hitting you over the head with the joke. Yet when the movie was released, those lines got the biggest response from the audience.

J.F.: Both of us got a kick out of Dolly’s innocence. When she showed up the first day, she’d memorized the entire script. And then the day that Dolly sang —

L.T.: Oh, that was a glorious moment.

J.F.: She used her long nails like a washboard and started to sing, “Working 9 to 5. …” Lily and I looked at each other and we knew: “This is it — we’ve got an anthem.” But I think my favorite shooting experiences were when we had the dead body in the back of the car. We went to the Apple Pan [a diner in Los Angeles] because Dolly wanted to get a cheeseburger, remember?

L.T.: Everybody would tell stories about their life, and we just fell in love with each other.

J.F.: Our worlds are so different. Our backgrounds are so different. Our senses of comedy — I mean, I don’t really have one.

L.T.: Jane was so earnest. She felt so passionate about every activist problem that she was trying to solve. It was inspiring and endearing.

J.F.: Since then, we’ve done seven seasons of [the Netflix TV series] “Grace and Frankie” [which ran from 2015 to 2022]. Ten days after we wrapped, we started a movie that we both like a lot called “Moving On.” When that came out [in 2023], I was interested in the reviews — almost every one of them talked about our chemistry. And it was like, “Well, maybe we should always work together.” — E.R.A.

Fonda: Hair: Jonathan Hanousek at Exclusive Artists Management. Makeup: David Deleon at Allyson Spiegelman Management. Tomlin: Hair: Darrell Redleaf Fielder at Aim Artists Agency. Makeup: Shelley Rucker at Aim Artists Agency. On-set producer: Joy Thomas. Photo assistant: Jeremy Eric Sinclair. Digital tech: Aron Norman

MARC JACOBS, FASHION DESIGNER, AND CINDY SHERMAN, ARTIST Have collaborated on multiple projects for the Marc Jacobs brand, from a 2005 photo book to the spring 2024 campaign.

From left: Jacobs, 61, and Sherman, 70, photographed at Go Studios in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan, on March 5, 2024.

MARC JACOBS: In 2004, I reached out to ask if you’d [be in a Marc Jacobs campaign]. I knew your work very well, and I knew that you’d done an ad in 1984 for [the French fashion brand] Dorothée Bis. That made me think, “Maybe she’d do this with us.” I was a little intimidated about asking.

CINDY SHERMAN: I was so intimidated that you’d asked. I remember thinking, “I’m going to bring a bunch of wigs and makeup.” It was just me for a few shots, but then [the German photographer] Juergen [Teller] got playful and started putting himself in the pictures. He gradually shaved parts of his face and head. He’d started the shoot with a full head of hair and beard; by the end, he was completely bald with no facial hair at all.

M.J.: I wasn’t there, but I got calls from Juergen saying, “It’s [expletive] excellent, it’s [expletive] excellent.” He says that when he’s really excited. You created some hilarious characters. There was one where you were both older, sitting on a bench.

C.S.: Rifling through a big bag.

M.J.: That image became a billboard on Melrose [Avenue in Los Angeles]. It was great because fashion campaigns like that didn’t exist back then. Nobody would’ve ever said, “ That’s our ad,” because it wasn’t exactly selling clothes or bags. But it was exciting.

C.S.: What’s funny is that you’d asked me, a year or two ago during Covid, to do something — I don’t even remember what it was. I’d gained a bit of weight, so I was self-conscious and kept turning you down. [For the 2024 campaign I ended up doing] some of the outfits were a little tight. The people assisting me said, “We can fix that.” And I said, “No, no, it’s [perfect for] the character.” I guess I could’ve thought of someone who was trying to hide, but I decided, “No, she seems like she could just let it all hang out in her leather pants.” How do you feel when you see different types of women wearing your pieces or putting them together in unusual ways?

M.J.: It’s the ultimate validation. Of all the stuff that exists out there, they’re spending their money on something I’ve made. How about you with collectors?

C.S.: Sometimes it’s a little weird. I remember an early series of horizontal pictures that I called “The Centerfolds” (1981) — I thought they were kind of disturbing, but some collector said, “I have that one hanging over my bed because it’s so sexy.” And I’m thinking, “Ugh, I don’t want to know that.” But you can’t control what happens to a piece.

M.J.: Or what other people see in it. Feedback is part of the equation. It’s like, “I’m not just doing this for me. I need you.” — E.R.A.

Production: Prodn. Hair: Tsuki at Streeters. Makeup assistant: Nanase. Photo assistants: John Temones, Tony Jarum, Logan Khidekel

CARLOS NAZARIO, STYLIST, AND WILLY CHAVARRIA, FASHION DESIGNER Have worked together on three collections since 2022.

From left: Nazario, 36, and Chavarria, 56, photographed at Chavarria’s studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, on March 18, 2024.

Emiliano Granado

WILLY CHAVARRIA: Carlos and I would see each other at Calvin Klein [Nazario has styled for the brand; Chavarria was its senior vice president of design from 2021 until 2023], but our first formal meeting was lunch at the Odeon. Like Truman Capote’s swans, we had salads and talked about water and weight loss.

CARLOS NAZARIO: It wasn’t like we were meeting to discuss a project. That sort of evolved organically.

W.C.: I was terrified to ask you to work with me. I remember texting to [see] if you’d style my [fall 2023] show. Do you know what you said? “I thought you’d never ask.”

C.N.: Willy’s work spoke to me in such a profound way. There was such a similarity — if not in aesthetic, definitely in intention. A lot of brands lack depth and a soul. I’m Afro-Latino. I grew up in New York with a certain relationship to how one presents themselves to the world, what glamour means and looks like and how it’s communicated. I was always intrigued by how Willy’s designs encompassed all those things.

W.C.: [The way we collaborate] is so natural and unpretentious. We end up telling a story that we feel good about.

C.N.: Every relationship between a stylist and designer is unique. Some designers require a lot more — from research to manufacturing and the show. Others want you to come in right at the end and say, “Let’s put that on this model.” With Willy, our conversations prior to my first day were conceptual. We talked about what he wanted it to feel like, rather than what he wanted it to look like.

W.C.: For that first show together, we wanted the cast — all people of color, many of them queer and trans — to feel elevated and empowered. Marlon [Taylor-Wiles, the show’s movement director] was going to have the models look down at the guests.

C.N.: At the rehearsal, we were like, “Maybe it’s a bit creepy.” I wasn’t uncomfortable [giving my opinion] because Willy’s such an easy person to talk to. But anytime you’re coming into a space where everyone has clearly defined roles, you feel like a stepparent. You’re a bit like, “Do I discipline the daughter? Do I tell her the skirt’s too short?” I didn’t want to overstep, but I also wanted to make my presence worth it. As we got more comfortable [with each other], we got more comfortable trying things.

W.C.: The next season, we took more risks. We wanted it to feel refined and elegant, but we also wanted to inject a youthfulness.

C.N.: At a lot of [brands], it’s like, “This season, everything’s a miniskirt. If your thighs aren’t great, see you in the fall!” Willy’s casting allows for a very broad vision in terms of what the styling can do: You’ll have someone like me, who’s 5-foot-4 [Nazario walked in the fall 2024 show], and then you’ll have someone who’s 6-foot-4.

W.C.: You’ll have a woman in her late 50s and a 17-year-old boy.

C.N.: Everyone from twinks to daddies. If you tried to dress everyone the same, it’d be a disaster.

W.C.: I can suggest something that you don’t like, and you’ll say, “Let’s go with it. Let’s see.” And I’ll do the same. I’ve worked with stylists who will deliberate over the positioning of a hat for hours. The stress level is so intense, it kills the moment. Having the freedom [to experiment reflects] a levity we want the brand to have. You know, we address serious subjects, like human rights, inclusion …

C.N.: Self-identity. But if we’re stressed, everyone’s stressed. We try to keep it light, but we also understand the weight of the responsibility. It’s rare that you work with people who understand what you’re feeling and what you want to convey. And I think our trust lies in that. — N.H.

Photo assistants: Eamon Colbert, Jordan Zuppa

MINK STOLE, ACTRESS, AND JOHN WATERS, FILMMAKER Have worked together on almost every one of his movies since “Roman Candles” (1967), including “Pink Flamingos” (1972), “Hairspray” (1988) and “A Dirty Shame” (2004).

Video by Melody Melamed

MINK STOLE: John, I’ve just been told your conference line is charging me a penny a minute.

JOHN WATERS: Oh, c’mon. I’ve been using it for 20 years. It’s never said that.

M.S.: It’s fine. I can handle it.

T: How did you two first meet?

J.W.: Mink also grew up in Baltimore, although I was friends with her older sister Mary, who now goes by Sique. My memory’s that we met in Provincetown, Mass., right before doing my second movie [the 1967 short] “Roman Candles” [in which Stole plays a party guest who gets spanked]. She was looking to go bad and found the right crowd. Prescott Townsend, one of the first gay radicals, allowed us to live in a tree fort he’d made.

M.S.: That was the summer I got introduced to homosexuality.

J.W.: Did we take acid that summer?

M.S.: I kind of think we did, yeah.

J.W.: And then we took it again 50 years later. My mother always used to say, “Don’t tell young people to take drugs.” But I’m not — I’m telling old people to. Anyway, we shot “Roman Candles” partly at my parents’ house and, oddly enough, a decade later, you filmed a big scene at that same house, in my parents’ bedroom, when you played [the delusional housewife] Peggy Gravel in “Desperate Living” [1977].

From left: Stole, 76, and Waters, 77, photographed, respectively, at Edge Studios in Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles, on Feb. 4, 2024, and at Waters’s home in Tuscany-Canterbury, Baltimore, on March 7, 2024.

Melody Melamed

M.S.: We threw a baseball through a window and kind of trashed the place. Your mom was a sport.

J.W.: So was yours. Mink and I were arrested [along with three other members of the crew] for conspiracy to commit indecent exposure while making [the 1969 film] “Mondo Trasho.” It was in the paper. They printed your poor mother’s address.

M.S.: We were acquitted.

J.W.: We’d been filming a scene at Johns Hopkins University with [the actor and drag performer] Divine, in full makeup and a gold lamé top with matching toreador pants, in a 1959 red Cadillac convertible with the top down in November. I never asked permission [to shoot]. The police came and we all ran. The fact that we got caught and Divine escaped didn’t say a lot for the Baltimore police. Mink played an escaped mental patient; she did a nude tap dance.

M.S.: I’d get upset when the press would call us unprofessional because, although it was true that not one of us had ever taken an acting lesson, we were incredibly professional. And none of it was ad-libbed. John wouldn’t have tolerated that. He knew every comma, every “and,” every “but.”

J.W.: What’s that French term for people who go crazy when they’re together?

M.S.: “Folie à something”?

J.W.: “Folie à famille.” Everybody chipped in, and we just went for it.

T: Mink, were there any scenes you refused to shoot?

M.S.: Before we started filming “Pink Flamingos” [1972, in which Stole plays the proprietor of a black-market baby ring], John very casually said, “Will you set your hair on fire?” And I said, “Yes, that’ll look great on film.” But then as the moment approached, I panicked.

J.W.: I was on pot when I thought of that.

M.S.: It would’ve been great, except that I’d be bald today. I think that’s the only thing I ever refused to do.

T: What’ve you learned from each other?

M.S.: In the early films, we all acted largely. We spoke in italics. In the later ones, when I’d start to behave that way, John would say, “Take it down.” I was shocked [the first time he said it].

J.W.: When we made those early movies, I was influenced by the theater of the ridiculous — by cruelty, shouting and craziness. It wasn’t them overacting, it was me telling them to overact.

M.S.: I have enormous respect for John, and John for me. Aside from the fact that I love him dearly, I don’t know where I’d be if I hadn’t met him.

J.W.: And we’ve never had the same boyfriend.

M.S.: Or wanted the same boyfriend.

J.W.: Mink and I have been through a lot together. We’ve fought, we’ve made up. I don’t trust people who don’t have old friends. For me, they outlast family. Mink and I are even going to be buried together in the same graveyard. We call it Disgraceland. — N.H.

Waters: Makeup: Cheryl Pickles Kinion. Photo assistants: Daniel Garton, Ashley Poole

COBY KENNEDY AND HANK WILLIS THOMAS, ARTISTS Have spent three decades collaborating on public art installations and community-focused projects, including 2023’s “Reach,” a more than 2,700-pound fiberglass-and-resin sculpture at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport of two hands nearly touching.

From left: Kennedy, 47, and Thomas, 48, photographed at Thomas’s studio in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on Feb. 28, 2024.

D’Angelo Lovell Williams

COBY KENNEDY: We met on a collaboration, actually. It was the summer of 1992.

HANK WILLIS THOMAS: I’d been recruited to work with Coby to renovate the darkroom at Howard University [in Washington, D.C.], where his father [Winston Kennedy] was the chair of the art program. We were in high school. Building a darkroom when you don’t really know how — that’s kind of the way we’ve always worked. Back then, Coby was a street writer.

C.K.: A graffiti writer, in the parlance of our times. My graffiti and school crews melded into this conglomerate [called] the Earthbound Homies.

H.W.T.: This was [during the] peak ’90s hip-hop days. The group was [made up of] all these young, primarily Black artists. I wasn’t one of them, I was a documenter.

C.K.: Hank was in museum studies, while the rest of us were in visual arts. He was very quiet and observant. It felt like he was always regarding you.

H.W.T.: The core of our relationship has been fostering opportunities for others to interlace their practices. The Wide Awakes [their most recent art collective, named after a progressive group that supported Abraham Lincoln during the 1860 presidential election] took off in my old studio in December 2019.

C.K.: We were trying to plug into society and see how we could influence it. When 2020 happened — the pandemic, the lockdown, the insurrection — we really hit the accelerator with it.

H.W.T.: I’d call the Wide Awakes our first public collaboration. But then again, 2016 is when “Reach” [their sculpture at Chicago’s O’Hare airport] first started. We’re excited to have it be one of the largest public acknowledgments of something we’ve been doing for 30 years.

C.K.: In our collaborations, we kind of fill in each other’s gaps.

H.W.T.: As a conceptual artist, I have great ideas — a lot of them. Coby, who has a history as an industrial designer and animator, is the bridge between the proposal and how it happens. With virtually every one of my public sculptures, he’s done all the initial concepting. He’s always had this ability to see what others are thinking. We also have different tastes.

C.K.: And they’re sometimes at odds with each other, which is one of the best parts [of our working relationship], because I’d hate for both of us to be middle ground.

H.W.T.: Coby has a very clear, singular vision, while I create art through consensus. I want to make a statement [so I’m often asking others], “What do you think about it?” I envy Coby’s talent. But I also think not having his talent gives me a reliance on other people, which is helpful in the context of making public art.

C.K.: I know that he’ll tell me the truth about anything I come up with, and he knows that if I have to talk trash about one of his ideas, I’ll talk trash about it.

H.W.T.: As much as I’d like Coby to think like me, then he wouldn’t be him and I wouldn’t be me. We allow each other to be who we are. — N.A.

INGAR DRAGSET AND MICHAEL ELMGREEN, ARTISTS Have worked as the duo Elmgreen & Dragset on more than 90 solo shows and site-specific installations, including a 2005 replica of a Prada store near Marfa, Texas, since 1995.

From left: Dragset, 54, and Elmgreen, 62, photographed at their studio in Neukölln, Berlin, on Feb. 7, 2024.

Julia Sellmann

INGAR DRAGSET: We met at After Dark, the only gay club at the time in Copenhagen, in 1994. I was 24 and Michael was 32. I thought he looked amazing — he had this Dennis Rodman-style hair that was bleached with baroque black patterns on it. We both had big Dr. Martens boots and were much grungier than the rest of the crowd.

MICHAEL ELMGREEN: The club was a classic disco — a lot of blown-out hair and Gloria Gaynor. It wasn’t difficult to spot each other.

I.D.: We got more than a little tipsy. When we both started to walk home, we realized that we lived not only in the same neighborhood but in the same building. That was the beginning of our 10-year romantic relationship. The artistic collaboration started eight months later, a little bit by accident. I was doing theater at the time.

M.E.: I was writing poetry and experimenting with texts that would morph in front of people’s eyes on IBM computers. To my surprise, I was considered a visual artist.

I.D.: Michael got invited to do an exhibition in Stockholm. He had the idea of creating abstract pets that people could cuddle, but he didn’t know how to make them. And I said, “Well, I’m good at knitting.” So that’s how the collaboration started.

M.E.: The Swedes are, as we know, a bit stiff; they were terrified about interacting with the artwork. So we were sitting in [opposite] corners with these knitted pets, cuddling them, and people thought it was a performance.

I.D.: That accidental performance inspired us to do more. The next one was a piece where I was furiously knitting at one end of a very long white cloth while Michael was unraveling everything from the other end. That should tell you a bit about our partnership.

M.E.: When we were coupled, we were almost the same size in clothes, so we even shared socks, we shared bank accounts, all our friends.

I.D.: We had one email account, one cellphone.

M.E.: Starting a new chapter after we split up was like meeting again, workwise. We had separate lives for some hours of the day. Suddenly, you could bring in exciting things that the other hadn’t experienced.

I.D.: It was a very difficult time. We put most things on hold, but we had one exhibition that would’ve been hard to cancel: a solo show at Tate Modern [in London]. In a big room with a window overlooking the Thames, we added another windowpane and, in between the panes, we had an animatronic but very realistic-looking sparrow that seemed to be gasping for life and flapping its wings, and nobody could help it.

M.E.: I think the beauty of it all was that we dared to stop being boyfriends because we knew we wouldn’t lose each other. Today, it’d be impossible to say who came up with what idea. It’s not two half authorships. It’s like this imaginary third persona in between us that we feed — an invisible genius kid who’s much, much younger, brighter and more charming than either of us. He’s creating the artworks. — J.H.

BOBBI SALVÖR MENUEZ, ACTOR, AND MICHAEL BAILEY-GATES, ARTIST Have collaborated on dozens of performances and photography projects throughout their decade-long friendship.

From left: Menuez, 30, and Bailey-Gates, 30, photographed at Smashbox Studios in Culver City, Calif., on Feb. 1, 2024.

BOBBI SALVÖR MENUEZ: I curated a 2014 show at [the Brooklyn exhibition space] Muddguts that was part of a series in which I invited people who didn’t always make performance work to create something in a performance context. We’d been in a group show together before and had mutual friends, and I was excited about the work I was seeing Michael make.

MICHAEL BAILEY-GATES: It was me, Bobbi and maybe two or three other people. I had this party trick of being able to talk really fast, like an auctioneer. When I said certain phrases, one of them would stand up, and another would scream at the top of their lungs or throw an object at someone.

B.S.M.: It felt like the beginning of us making things together on the fly. We both had this down-to-get-into-it energy that was well matched.

M.B.G.: We shared an urgency to make work come to life. Sometimes it’s as simple as being a body for another person. I’ve been the lead in Bobbi’s performances, and I’ve been in the background, lying on a floor covered in red paint. Performance art in New York at the time was about executing an idea without a lot of money. These days, I don’t go into a shoot thinking we’re performing, but it’s very much that: The camera is the audience looking back at us.

B.S.M.: Michael has this ability to see the kaleidoscopic possibility of someone’s self- expression. Around 2018, I was out as nonbinary to my close friends and finding my new name. I took a break from auditions and started working part-time as a substitute teacher. When a film I’d shot the year before got into [the 2019] Sundance [Film Festival], it was an invitation to step back into the spotlight. I’d shaved my head and was nervous about that formal, public coming- out moment. It just felt so cringe. I went to Los Angeles before going to Sundance and made some pictures with Michael that were only for us. Those were the first images of Bobbi that entered the world.

M.B.G.: I never want to make a picture of somebody that’s not reflective of them. I’ve chosen in my practice to always focus on a small group of friends, and those collaborations are the grounding force of my work. Without them, what would my pictures be? They’d be something less precious. — C.R.

Makeup: Zenia Jaeger at Streeters using Submission Beauty. Hair assistant: Drew Martin. Production: Resin Projects. Photo assistants: Michael Preman, Jack Buster

Humberto Leon, restaurateur and creative director

Leon, 48, photographed at his restaurant Chifa in Los Angeles on Dec. 14, 2023.

Ryan James Caruthers

Then: The co-founder, with Carol Lim, of Opening Ceremony, the influential New York clothing store established in 2002; the co-creative director of the French fashion house Kenzo between 2011 and 2019.

Now: Co-runs three restaurants in Los Angeles — Chifa, Monarch and Arroz & Fun.

In 1975, the year I was born, my mom opened a restaurant in Lima — my mom’s from Hong Kong, my dad from Peru — and so I’ve always thought of a meal as a way to learn and to meet new people. In 2020, I’d recently quit Kenzo and sold Opening Ceremony. My sisters and brother-in-law were in the midst of changes of their own, and we’d always wanted to tell my mom’s story. So we decided to open a restaurant together in Eagle Rock, the Los Angeles neighborhood where my family first lived when we immigrated to the United States in the late ’70s. We named it Chifa, after my mom’s place in Lima, and based the menu on a similar mix of classic Peruvian dishes like lomo saltado (beef stir fry) and anticucho (meat skewers) and Chinese home cooking — though my brother-in-law, the chef John Liu, has added some of his Taiwanese family’s culinary staples, too.

Starting anything new is scary, and I didn’t have the confidence to do so until the pandemic, which gave me time to try new ideas. (I also wrote a screenplay and a script for a TV show.) I tried to channel the intuition [I’d brought to Opening Ceremony] into other fields. I realized that what I’d done with the store was ultimately about the fond memories people had of the place rather than any specific product. Food does something similar: It creates conversations and memories.

I had the same feeling when I opened the store: “Will anyone show up?” We’d built Opening Ceremony from the ground up — no ads, only word of mouth — and that experience lent itself to launching Chifa, as well as Monarch and Arroz & Fun [our second and third restaurants, which opened last year in the Arcadia and Lincoln Heights neighborhoods, respectively]. In many ways, I’m bringing the same sensibility to the restaurants that I brought to Opening Ceremony: They’re places where you can discover new things. We aren’t aiming for formality or perfection. If anything, part of the experience is dropping your fork and noticing the cool terrazzo floor or really looking at the flatware, which we made with the designer Izabel Lam. As a person who shops and eats a lot, I want to be excited, to feel that nervousness of trying something new. — M.S.

Nick Cave, musician, writer and artist

Cave, 66, photographed at his studio near his home in Brighton, England, on Jan. 29, 2024.

Then: Rose to prominence with his post-punk band the Bad Seeds, formed in Melbourne, Australia, in 1983; became one of rock’s most celebrated lyricists and performers.

Now: Makes ceramics at a studio close to his home on the south coast of England, and his first major solo show, “ The Devil — A Life ,” is on view now through May 11 at Xavier Hufkens gallery in Brussels. Will release a new record with the Bad Seeds later this year.

I learned early on that the grand designs you have in life don’t always pan out. Starting in secondary school, I wanted to be a painter. I went to art school [for university in 1976] and, to my horror, failed my second year. At the same time, my first band [the Boys Next Door, which eventually became the Birthday Party] was starting to do well in the underground scene in Melbourne. I was much more interested in painting — I did figurative work that often referenced myself — but I’d failed, so I carried on with the band.

I started making ceramics during the pandemic. I collect Victorian Staffordshire-style figurines, the sort of thing an English grandmother might have on her mantelpiece, and one day I thought, “I could make these.” I found I was really swept up by clay. I struggle hugely with writing songs — not the music, but the lyrics. They never feel good enough. Mostly it’s all doubt and despair. But I don’t think I’ve felt more pleasure than I have when pulling a piece out of the kiln and looking at something I’ve made with my hands.

At some point, I had an idea to make a devil, mostly because I wanted to paint a figure in a fiery red glaze. I made one devil and then others, and eventually they began to tell a story. In the beginning, there’s a sort of lightheartedness about this wicked little guy: In his youth, he’s embedded in the world and in love with it. But then he kills his child, and [the figures] get dark and desperate. Later, he becomes remorseful and dies a terrible death. And in the end he’s forgiven by his child.

The death of a child is obviously very important to me because two of my own children have died. [Cave’s son Arthur died in 2015 at age 15. His oldest son, Jethro, died in 2022 at age 31.] And the works were saying something very powerful to me about my unfolding situation in life, something that my songs didn’t really talk about. I found that I could look at this poor devil in a pool of tears, with his lost child extending his hand to him, as a kind of meditation on my own place in the world and find a way that I — or we or whoever — may live a life. — M.H.M.

Jordi Roca, pastry chef

Roca, 45, photographed at Rocambolesc Gelateria in Girona, Spain, on March 13, 2024.

Anna Bosch Miralpeix

Then: Joined the restaurant El Celler de Can Roca — founded in 1986 by his brothers, Joan and Josep, in Girona, Spain — in 1997, becoming head pastry chef in 2000.

Now: After starting his own gelateria chain, Rocambolesc, in Girona with his wife, Alejandra Rivas, in 2012, and being diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder four years later, opened an outpost of the gelateria in Houston in 2022 with a neurodiverse team.

When I first started to lose my voice, it didn’t have much of an effect on my creative process in the kitchen. I had to learn to interact more through gesture, but I could still speak during quieter moments. That was around 2016, when I was giving a lot of interviews. It was a period in my career when I needed to speak but, instead, was a time of introspection. Once I got the diagnosis — I have an unusual expression of spasmodic dysphonia [a neurological disorder that causes spasms in the voice box] — it meant I could finally move forward. Now I think of this as just part of who I am.

The idea to open a U.S. branch of Rocambolesc, the gelateria, which has five locations in Spain, came a year or so before this. In 2015, when we were [hosting] cooking events around the world for Celler de Can Roca, we met our business partner Ignacio Torres in Houston. He has family members with autism, and having a place that would hire people with autism and Down syndrome was part of his idea from the beginning. By the time we opened Rocambolesc in Houston in 2022, we’d already had experiences in Celler de Can Roca with team members who had neurological differences. But staffing a project with a neurodiverse team was a huge personal gamble taken by Ignacio and his wife, Isabel, to transform the stigmas around neurodivergence in the United States. The project’s really been embraced in Houston. We have staff who’ve been with us right from the beginning. Of course, my own difficulties have given me a deeper empathy with people who can’t always express themselves in the way they might like. But what I’ve learned — especially through this project — is that we all live in the same world. There’re just many ways to see it. — M.S.

Cassi Namoda, painter

Namoda, 35, photographed with paintings in progress at her studio in Biella, Italy, on Feb. 25, 2024.

Claudia Gori

Then: A visual artist known for her spare yet color-rich depictions of contemporary African people and landscapes who was last based in the Berkshires region of Massachusetts.

Now: Living in Biella, in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, where she’s working in a new studio and preparing to become a mother.

Biella has a beautiful, fantastical landscape — you have a backdrop of the snowcapped Alps, but there are also palm trees, beeches, pines and cypresses. It’s an easier flight to my family in Mozambique [than from the United States]. And we’re a 10-minute drive away from my husband’s family.

I found an incredible studio where I can visualize having my child and making magnificent work. The commercial art world is a masculine environment. But this is my own world. There’s a large kitchen with big windows and an amazing chef’s oven, so there can be lunches. I’ll put in a daybed because I know I need naps. There’ll be a baby corner, with a crib and maybe some safe paints. I’m really into self-preservation and embracing femininity.

My life before was very utilitarian. Some days, I’d get to the studio early and be there until 3 or 4 a.m., eating popcorn and puffing on a cigarette. The child has already forced me to have a healthier balance with work. But I have these dreams about me before [there was] this new spirit in me. It’s not a somber or sad thing, like, “Oh, I wish I was Cassi in Tambacounda, Senegal, plein-air painting in the field.” But I’m remembering that person.

I finally got into the Italian health care system, which has been a nightmare. It’s not superfriendly to foreigners. Meanwhile, I’m preparing for a solo exhibition in September and a museum show opening in December. In my head I’m like, “The baby’s coming really soon, I don’t really have a doctor, I’m still setting up my studio and I have a 53-foot-long cargo container with all of my belongings arriving on Monday!”

There are large works to start but, with this heavy belly, I can’t balance on a ladder. I might bring the canvases down to the floor and rest them on bricks. I’m visiting a softer, more romantic side. The world’s in a dark place; why not make something beautiful? I’m seeing flamingo pink and yellow and sandy tones. It’s soft and rosy. I don’t think it’s because I’m having a girl — the sex of the baby is a surprise — but that’s how I’m feeling right now. — E.L.

Jon Bon Jovi, musician and singer-songwriter

Bon Jovi, 62, photographed at his restaurant JBJ Soul Kitchen in Red Bank, N.J., on March 1, 2024.

Sebastian Sabal-Bruce

Then: Co-founded the rock band Bon Jovi in Sayreville, N.J., in 1983. Began experiencing vocal difficulties in 2014.

Now: Is recovering from throat surgery, a process depicted, among other things, in the docuseries “Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story,” out this month. Will release a new album, “Forever,” with the band in June.

My problems started about a decade ago. In 2013, we had the number one tour in the world, and I was great for 100-plus shows. But in 2014, I wasn’t really making any music, which was hard psychologically. Then some of the recordings and shows we did, especially after 2017, were challenging — my range seemed to have narrowed and it was becoming difficult to sing consistently. But none of the professionals I saw could figure it out.

In March 2022, a doctor in Philadelphia explained that one of my vocal cords was atrophying. I thought I could get my voice back in shape if I just did enough shows, so I went back on the road. But it was a struggle. Finally, that June, I had an implant put [inside the cartilage of my larynx] to bring my [vocal folds] together. There was no singing at all for the first six weeks. Then I started speech therapy. I have rehab four times a week. But I’m still not sure what to expect. Yesterday when I was rehearsing with the band, I had a rough go with the song “Limitless” from the album “2020” [released by the group that same year]. I said, “Guys, I only ever sang this song when I was broken. I don’t know how to sing it not broken.” If I had the word “lay,” I’d put an “E” on the end of it to try to push it up to pitch: “layeee.” But right after that, I popped the high notes on [our 1986 hit] “Livin’ on a Prayer.”

This new album’s much more of a collaborative record than the ones I’ve made in the past. It’s a celebration of my accepting any and all input and acts of kindness. It’s not been a good decade. It’s not been easy to not be the best guy in the band; it’s not easy to be the worst. It’s humbling but I don’t mind the humility. I just want my tools back. Yesterday, I pressed the point-of-no-return button and said yes, in theory, to a handful of possible shows abroad for the summer, the first ones since the spring of 2022. I’m not an applause junkie. I do it because I love to write a song and play it for people. If I have all my tools, it’ll be a joy. — E.L.

Grooming: Loraine Abeles

Titus Kaphar, artist

Kaphar, 47, photographed at his studio in New Haven, Conn., on Feb. 22, 2024.

Artwork, from left: Titus Kaphar, “I Knew,” 2023 © Titus Kaphar; Titus Kaphar, “Do You Want It Back?” 2023 © Titus Kaphar; Titus Kaphar, “Some Things Can’t Be Worked Out on Canvas,” 2023 © Titus Kaphar

Then: An artist whose works, which often confront family history and the experience of being Black in America, are in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, among other institutions.

Now: Wrote and directed his first feature-length film, “Exhibiting Forgiveness,” which premiered at Sundance in January. Paintings Kaphar made for the film (pictured above) will be shown at Gagosian in Beverly Hills in September.

“Exhibiting Forgiveness” started as a series of paintings — in particular, with one of a burning lawn mower. It didn’t take long to realize that what I was doing wasn’t best processed with paintings alone. [The film focuses on a successful artist, Tarrell, played by André Holland, who struggles to deal with the reappearance of his estranged, abusive father, La’Ron, played by John Earl Jelks, who’d force Tarrell to perform grueling manual labor as a child.] The power of painting’s often the absences: what’s not there, what’s implicit. You don’t know what happened before and you don’t know what will happen after. In film, you have an opportunity for elaboration.

I’ve tried hard not to read reviews of the film, though a friend sent me one. It was positive but what [the critic] wrote at the end, I’ll never forget. He said, “But I can’t say this film is entertaining.” [ Laughs. ] With film, some of us expect entertainment, to have a great time. And that response does frame the way we distinguish film from painting. As a painter, I don’t stand in front of [Pablo Picasso’s] “Guernica” and go, “This isn’t entertaining!” I didn’t approach filmmaking as anything different from painting. I wanted the film to be a painting in motion. The way I make decisions in the studio, about how to follow my intuition or instincts, or how to lay out a composition, was the same process I used on set. The difference is I had an extraordinary cinematographer and cast of actors to help me realize the paintings in my head.

At its essence, “Exhibiting Forgiveness” is about generational healing. I took on this project because I wanted to have a conversation with my children about the world I grew up in, which is so different from the world they’ve grown up in. And I think making the film helped resolve something within me. The revelation I had is that I can’t make my father out as the villain in my mind. He’s a victim of violence himself. And even though [he] created challenges for me, I’ve never wondered whether or not he loved me. — M.H.M.

Bárbara Sánchez-Kane, artist

Sánchez-Kane, 36, photographed at his studio (the artist uses she/her and he/him pronouns interchangeably) in Mexico City on Jan. 22, 2024.

Ana Topoleanu. Artwork, clockwise from left: Bárbara Sánchez-Kane, “La Diegada,” 2016, courtesy of the artist and Estudio Sánchez-Kane; Bárbara Sánchez-Kane, “Tragic Stages,” 2023, courtesy of the artist and Estudio Sánchez-Kane; Bárbara Sánchez-Kane, “Moctezuma’s Revenge,” 2017, performance by Sierva M, courtesy of the artist and Estudio Sánchez-Kane, photo: Karla Ximena

Then: The designer of Sánchez-Kane, the genderless clothing brand she founded in Mérida, Mexico, in 2016.

Now: An artist working with painting, sculpture and performance — while still running the label.

One of my first shows in a museum was at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles in 2017. The curators invited me to present a collection from my fashion line that I’d shown in New York, and I said, “No, but maybe I can do a performance.” There’s a kind of freedom in making wearable sculptures because, in the end, clothing has to be ergonomic: The jacket I made with boxing gloves has an opening for your hands so you can eat a burger. But for the ICA show, I created a pair of transparent plastic pants with a metal frame that made them almost impossible to walk in. And last year, for my first New York solo exhibition, at Kurimanzutto gallery, I made a piece from 1,170 black plastic belts that was so big and heavy, I had to break it into parts to show it. I remember reading an article by the queer theorist Jack Halberstam on the work of the artist Gordon Matta-Clark, who would [create] windows in structures where they shouldn’t be. For me, the work is like that: opening windows that give you a different way of seeing what’s in front of you.

I started as an industrial engineer first and then became a fashion designer, but I’ve come to realize that it doesn’t matter what you’ve studied or haven’t. When I feel like the worst sculptor, I think, “Well, at least I’m a good designer.” And when I feel like a great sculptor, I might look at [the clothes in my studio] and think, “Those terrible [expletive] trousers!” Expanding into other fields is a way to embrace yourself. All we have is our imagination, which allows us to create things: objects, garments, skins that we wear when we go out into the world. I’m not saying they’ll save us, but maybe they can help us navigate the transition to another universe. — M.S.

Miguel Adrover, 58, Calonge, Majorca

The former fashion designer Miguel Adrover, now a full-time photographer, photographed at home on Majorca, Spain, on Jan. 8, 2024.

The provocative Spanish fashion designer, who had a New York-based clothing line, put a sheep on the runway and made a coat out of the ticking from the gay icon Quentin Crisp’s discarded mattress. He left the industry over a decade ago.

I started my own line in 1999 in New York, where I had been living in the East Village since 1991, and shut it down in 2005 and left the city. In 2012, I [returned] to present one runway show, which I called Out of My Mind. It was made up of personal garments I’d repurposed. I was 46. 

I’d been trying to find a way out of this unsustainable industry, this imaginary fantasy that fashion creates. My collections dealt with social justice, environmental consciousness and diversity before those topics became mainstream, and some seasons I didn’t sell anything. I never had a sugar daddy, and I invested everything I made back into the company. 

I miss New York a lot. I’m homesick for it, but it isn’t the same city, and fashion is very different, too — it feels inauthentic and disconnected from reality. When I was doing consulting and research for Alexander McQueen [in the mid-90s], we had no money. But the energy was amazing. When you don’t have money, that’s when you’re most creative. Now all of these big companies have so much money that it feels like a different world. [Still] I’d love to have the chance to put on one last presentation, one last show to express how I feel today and how I see the world right now. 

When I left New York, I decided to come to Majorca, where my parents have a farm. I started doing photography accidentally; I had no knowledge of cameras, every day was a process of me learning something totally on my own. There was a 300-year-old well on the property with no water inside, and I realized it could be my studio. It’s kind of like a basement; light comes from a little window high above. It reminds me of my apartment in New York. It’s where I develop my [projects]. I use things that surround me: tulips and rose bushes, fruit trees, a tropical garden, chickens. 

When I got here, I didn’t have a team [as I did in fashion], and one of the challenges was being surrounded by people who don’t care about what I did or what I’m doing. Photography was the ideal thing to do because I don’t need anybody, I can do it on my own. I don’t have any models; I started working with mannequins and, for many years, I collected them on eBay or from secondhand stores on the island. [I decided] I’d rather not use models — when you photograph human beings, they’re pretending or acting, and I was running away from that.

It’s been nine years since I found photography, and I’m really happy. I have a monograph coming out later this year. The photographs are like my biography. I’ve developed my style in photography and I have a creative language. Fashion was the platform I once used, but the soul inside me is the same. — interview by J.W.

Ralph Ellison, writer, circa 1913-94

Ralph Ellison, the author of the 1952 novel “Invisible Man,” in June 1957 during his fellowship at the American Academy in Rome.

James Whitmore/The Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock

Ralph Ellison spent seven years writing his only completed novel, “Invisible Man,” and its publication in 1952, when he was in his late 30s, not only catapulted him to literary fame but made him nothing less than a spokesperson for postwar America. His contemporary Norman Mailer would write of him that at his best, “He writes so perfectly that one can never forget the experience of reading him.” “Invisible Man,” a surreal picaresque that follows an unnamed Black protagonist — “a man of substance, of flesh and bone,” Ellison writes — as he travels through a country full of people who “refuse to see me,” is a book of such remarkable confidence that Ellison’s career, in later years, became mired in questions of what next? Ellison, a prolific writer of essays, reviews and criticism, worked for years on a follow-up, suffering one setback when a 1967 house fire destroyed portions of his manuscript. When he died in 1994, he left behind thousands of pages of drafts, fragments and unfinished tangents. Ellison’s literary executor and longtime friend, John F. Callahan, tried to edit the material down into a “single, coherent narrative,” as he put it, and published the result, called “Juneteenth,” in 1999; the New York Times critic Michiko Kakutani called it “disappointingly provisional and incomplete.” Ellison often struggled with writing. He once likened his second novel to a “bad case of constipation” and, in a 1958 letter to his friend the author Saul Bellow, Ellison wrote, “I’ve got a natural writer’s block as big as the Ritz and as stubborn as a grease spot on a gabardine suit.” — M.H.M.

Charles Laughton, actor and director, 1899-1962

The actor turned director Charles Laughton with the actress Sally Jane Bruce on the set of “The Night of the Hunter” (1955).

Everett Collection

Born in the last year of the 19th century, Charles Laughton left his family’s successful hotel business at the age of 26 to study acting at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. What he lacked in movie star looks — the critic J. Hoberman described him as “coarse-featured, overweight and slovenly” — he made up for in talent. Following a successful stage career in London’s West End, he turned to film, making a name for himself as a versatile character actor in the 1930s and ’40s. In 1955, at the age of 55, he made his most indelible contribution to his craft, directing “The Night of the Hunter,” a film noir so dark it easily passes today as horror. (William Friedkin, the director of 1973’s “The Exorcist,” described it as “one of the scariest films ever made.”) Robert Mitchum plays a terrifying ex-convict posing as a preacher and stalking the children of his former cellmate in order to find a hidden fortune. While casting Lillian Gish in the role of the children’s caretaker, Laughton told the actress about his disappointment in audiences’ lack of attention for movies, how they “slump down with their heads back, or eat candy and popcorn. I want them to sit up straight again,” he said. Though now often ranked among the greatest American movies, “The Night of the Hunter” — released just a few years before Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” (1960) made the psychological thriller into a marketable genre — was a commercial flop. Reviews were mixed; The New York Times’s Bosley Crowther called it “a weird and intriguing endeavor.” Years later, Terry Sanders, a second-unit director of the film, wrote that “the rejection by critics and the indifference of audiences hit [Laughton] hard and crushed his spirit. It wasn’t just disappointment he felt, it was utter and deeply debilitating devastation.” He never directed a second movie. — M.H.M.

Willis Alan Ramsey, 73, Loveland, Colo.

The singer-songwriter Willis Alan Ramsey, photographed at Sam’s Town Point bar in Austin, Texas, on March 14, 2024.

Caleb Santiago Alvarado

The singer-songwriter Willis Alan Ramsey, originally from Alabama, released his self-titled debut album in 1972, becoming a forebear of the alt-country genre. Jimmy Buffett and Lyle Lovett became devoted fans. More than 50 years later, Ramsey still hasn’t completed his second album.

I started trying to write songs around 1968. My first song was just awful, but I got better over time. I dropped out of college twice, the second time in 1970, from the University of Texas [at Austin], after discovering a folk club where I became an opening act for $5 a night. Those were golden, halcyon days in Austin filled with sunshine and margaritas and very little traffic. That fall, I left to begin performing at colleges around the country. I was briefly back in Austin to play at U.T. and, somehow, during two days there, I’d managed to play for Gregg Allman and Leon Russell, two of the most influential musicians of that decade. They both gave me their cards and said to look them up if I ever made it their way. [I went to Los Angeles] and recorded a demo at Skyhill, Leon’s personal home studio, and he basically offered me the moon to sign with his new label, Shelter Records [which folded in 1981]. I’d just turned 20. Over the next year, I recorded my first and only album to ever be released [“Willis Alan Ramsey,” often known as the Green Album for its green cover].

I finished the record when I was 21. I was just a kid. Leon gave me my career, to the extent that I’ve had one [but the reason I never released another record was also] Leon’s fault. He told me that if I signed with Shelter, he’d show me the studio and how it worked, and he did. I immediately wanted to learn everything I could about the recording process. I used seven studios and three rhythm sections [to make the record]. I was given carte blanche. The budget was 85 grand. I could do it for 200 grand [now], but I can’t do it any cheaper. I’d need to rehearse every musician. And my songs are all over the place. I get bored doing one particular style.

I’m the most frustrated recording artist you’ve probably ever met in your life. But I still feel I’ll figure something out. I’ve always been optimistic. I’ve got at least three more records of material. I’m pretty tough on myself in terms of writing, and I’m very attached to what I’ve written. I just haven’t been able to get a deal that’d work for me. I mean, the world works, you know? I think the key is just to work with the world. — interview by M.H.M.

Photo assistant: Sergio Flores

Harper Lee, writer, 1926-2016

The writer Harper Lee in her hometown, Monroeville, Ala., in 1961, the same year that her debut novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” won the Pulitzer Prize.

Donald Uhrbrock/Getty Images

“I sort of hoped someone would like it well enough to give me encouragement,” Harper Lee said in a 1964 radio interview, describing her low expectations for her 1960 debut, “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Instead, her novel, about a lawyer in the fictional town of Maycomb, Ala. (a stand-in for the writer’s hometown, Monroeville), who defends a Black man from a false accusation of rape by a white woman, became one of the biggest literary sensations of its era. Lee, who worked as an airline reservations agent in New York for a few years before quitting (with friends’ financial support) to work on her writing, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961; two years later, a film adaptation starring Gregory Peck won three Academy Awards. “To Kill a Mockingbird” would go on to sell tens of millions of copies and become a fixture of high school English classes.

Lee had a hard time with her sudden fame. After that radio interview in 1964, she mostly avoided the press and, as the years and decades passed without a second novel, Lee continued to guard her privacy, albeit regularly attending the Methodist Church in Monroeville and occasionally visiting the local high school during lessons about her work. The year before she died at age 89 in 2016, a previously unknown novel, “Go Set a Watchman,” which had been written before “To Kill a Mockingbird,” appeared to tepid reviews and claims that Lee, by then largely deaf and blind following a stroke, had been manipulated into releasing subpar work. Controversy aside, even just the announcement of a lost novel reignited interest in Lee’s lone masterpiece; at that point, sales of “To Kill a Mockingbird” in trade paperback nearly tripled. — M.H.M.

Luc Tuymans, 65, visual artist

Luc Tuymans, “Mijn Grote Vakantie” (1967).

Courtesy of the artist and David Zwirner. Photo: Alex Salinas

When I was 7 or 8, we had to make drawings for school about our summer holidays. I was completely intrigued by the people gathering the garbage outside of our house in Antwerp [Belgium] — their truck, their dress code. During a summer day, I took out my colored pencils. I wrote underneath the drawing, “My Big Vacation.”

It came across as fairly cynical: My big vacation was garbage. It wasn’t meant that way. I really was intrigued by this operation. [Looking at it now] I’m amazed that there’s this perspective already in it. The teacher didn’t believe I made the drawing and took me by the ear to the blackboard to do it again in front of the class.

I’d been bullied a lot as a kid. I was extremely shy. Drawing was a way out, in a sense. I’d draw people who came to visit my parents and, at the end of the year, when exams were done, I’d make drawings for the whole class — whatever they wanted. I always had a ballpoint pen and a piece of paper with me, and people would gather around me while I was drawing, sometimes 20 to 30 of them. The kids were happy to have a drawing, but it didn’t really change the bullying pattern.

I saved most of my [childhood] drawings and gave them to my nephew. Unluckily, he lost them. This is virtually the only one that survived, and I gave it to my wife as a present.

It’s quite interesting to see the size of things — the difference between the houses and the people — and most of all, the idea of space that was already in the drawing. [If I were to redraw this today] it’d be a bit more meticulous, more worked out. But it’s an indication of things that would come later. My skepticism is embedded in this drawing without my doing that consciously — this quite specific, sardonic sense of humor. When I found it again, I had to laugh very, very hard. — J.H.

Do Ho Suh, 62, visual artist

Do Ho Suh, “Tiger Mask” (1971).

This drawing is based on a Japanese anime character, Tiger Mask, that was really popular in the ’70s. Back in those days, Korean TV broadcast Japanese anime in black and white. Everybody at school watched. The character is a pro wrestler who puts on a tiger mask to disguise his identity. I drew the mask directly from the anime. I was probably 9.

Once my friends saw it, they all wanted one. Demand for tiger masks became much greater than supply. Some of the rich kids wanted to trade their Japanese pencils — which had graphics or custom characters on the surface — and colorful erasers for a drawing. My parents couldn’t afford those things, and they weren’t available in Korea. The kids’ parents must have traveled to Japan, which was quite rare back then, and brought them back. [Eventually] I had a box full of those pencils, but I didn’t have the guts to actually use them. The pencils are untouched; the erasers are dried out. For some reason, my mom kept them all these years. — J.H.

Niki Nakayama, 49, chef and Restaurant owner

Tonkatsu is a Japanese home-style staple. It’s a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet — “ton” means “pork” and “katsu” is a sort of translation of “cutlet” — and it was my absolute favorite food when I was a kid. When my mom made tonkatsu, she’d have my sister and me do the breading, and we really bonded over that. It helped me understand family. We’d set up in the dining room and dredge the cutlets in flour, dip them into the egg wash, cover them with dried breadcrumbs and stack them high on paper plates that we’d bring in to my mother to fry up. Our kitchen had high countertops, and I can remember her standing at the stove in these three-inch platform clogs she’d wear to be a little taller. 

I loved seeing how something became something else — it felt like unraveling magic. One day when I was about 9, I came home from school and got the brilliant idea to make my own [but with chicken]. I grabbed some drumsticks from the freezer, did the breading and, while standing on a stool, dipped them in hot oil. (I never admitted this to my mom.) When they turned the color they were supposed to, I was so proud. I bit into one and it was still frozen. That was my first shock of “I can’t believe I didn’t make [this thing] the way I imagined it would be.”

Anytime I was in Japan, especially in my 20s, my friends there would ask what subarashii gochiso, or “the best thing one could possibly eat,” was for me. I’d say tonkatsu, and they’d be like, “What?!,” because it’s such a simple dish — it was like asking for a sandwich. It isn’t the sort of thing I specialize in at my restaurant [N/Naka in Los Angeles], and I don’t have it often anymore because, as I age, I’m trying to eat lighter, but I still associate it with deliciousness and with happiness. Ever since childhood, I’ve thought of food as being about coming together and cooking as an expression of care and love. Having been on the receiving end of that, I do the work that I do to try to make people happy. — K.G.

Marina Abramović, 77, performance artist

Marina Abramović, “Truck Accident (I)” (1963).

© Marina Abramović/Courtesy of the Marina Abramović Archives/ARS, 2024

When I was a teenager in Communist Yugoslavia, there were these ugly green trucks that weighed so much, they often fell over. I started taking photographs of them and trying to paint them at home. But that wasn’t enough for me, so I bought some toy cars and left them on the highway to see if the real trucks would smash them; they were always untouched. I was fascinated by car crashes. Then when I was 17 or 18 years old, I painted the big car smashed and the little car protected — the idea that innocence survives everything.

My mother studied art history, and I was always going to museums. When I was a baby, my first words weren’t “mama” or “papa”; they were “El Greco.” I had my first exhibition at a youth center when I was 14. They mostly had group shows, but I made so much work that I had my own show. I always say I was jealous of Mozart because he started at 5.

I didn’t know then that painting wasn’t my ultimate goal. It takes a long time to realize who you are. I remember the incredible joy of going into my studio — an extra space in my family’s apartment — with my little cup of Turkish coffee. I would be so much in the dream of painting that I’d accidentally drink turpentine instead of the coffee.

Though I wasn’t aware of it [until recently], this crash represents the energy that I’d create in my early performances: two bodies running toward each other, crashing into each other and making this blurry image. My research today is about the body and how to create a field in which you aren’t afraid of pain, of dying, of limits. When you’re young, you don’t see the straight line but, [looking back] it all seems so logical. — J.H.

Deborah Roberts, 61, visual artist

Deborah Roberts, “James” (1982).

Courtesy of the artist

I used to do a lot of drawings of people at church or kids in the neighborhood. I made this when I was 19, of this boy who came by to play with my brothers. My mother threw most of my drawings away. She had eight children; she couldn’t have all that stuff piling up.

[With that many siblings] you only get attention when you’re sick. But I got a lot of attention for drawing. I was the best artist in my school. The teacher would ask me, “What grade would you want?” I’d say, “I want an A+.” I had a big head. Then I went to the gifted and talented program with high school art students from all over Austin, Texas. I wasn’t the best anymore, but it just made me work harder. That’s where I was first introduced to the work of Henry Ossawa Tanner [one of the first African American painters to achieve international fame, in the early 20th century]. I didn’t even know there were Black artists. We didn’t have the internet or access to museums. We were poor.

I’d ride a small yellow bus to a community college to meet in a special room for the three-hour art class. Eventually, I became the best student in that class, at least in my head. They didn’t ask me what grade I wanted, but I still got an A.

If I were doing it now, I’d blend that hair into the wood better. I wouldn’t have light sources coming from two different areas. But if you look at my collages today, my whole idea’s about seeing people as humans, as children, as vulnerable. I think this is a very vulnerable piece. — J.H.

David Henry Hwang, 66, playwright

David Henry Hwang, manuscript of “Only Three Generations” (1968).

Courtesy of David Henry Hwang. Photo: Lance Brewer

I was about 10 years old, and my maternal grandmother got sick and it looked like she might be close to the end. I remember feeling that that’d be quite tragic — not only would I lose my grandmother but she also happened to be the family historian. I was one of those kids who, for whatever reason, was always really interested in hearing about family history. 

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, but my mom grew up in the Philippines, where my maternal grandparents still lived, so I asked my parents if I could spend a summer there. I went and collected what we’d now call oral histories from my grandmother on cassette tapes, then came back and compiled them into a 60-page family history, “Only Three Generations,” which was [photocopied] and distributed to my family members. Then in the early aughts, someone — my uncle, I think — went and printed two or three dozen copies as a bound version.

I wasn’t someone who felt [that] writing was my calling. I didn’t do another major writing project until I got to college and started writing plays, so I find it interesting that the one time I took on [something] like this was to contextualize myself in a historical framework. That’s consistent with what I’ve done as an adult: sometimes being at sea about who I am and looking at history to gain a sense of self.

The [history] starts with my great-great-grandfather, then the second [part]’s about my great-grandfather and then the third section’s about my grandmother’s generation. I [used] their real names. I think I was trying to be fairly accurate, as opposed to when it later became the basis of my [1996] play “Golden Child.” There’s a lot more liberty taken there. When we did the play on Broadway, my grandmother was still alive and came to see the show. She was supportive of it, but I feel like she liked this version better. — J.A.R.

Ice Spice wears a Balenciaga jacket, $2,150, balenciaga.com; Norma Kamali dress, $350, normakamali.com; Graff cross necklace, $14,000, graff.com; Alexander McQueen shoes, $1,150, alexandermcqueen.com; stylist’s own tights; and her own jewelry. Photographed at a private home in Los Angeles on Feb. 6, 2024.

Photograph by Shikeith. Styled by Ian Bradley

Name: Ice Spice Profession: Rapper Age: 24

Debuting in: Her first full-length album, “Y2K,” titled after her birth date — Jan. 1, 2000 — which comes out this year.

What she’s excited about: “Going on tour. I can’t wait to see my fans up close and personal and really interact with them — interacting with fans online can be a little overwhelming. All their profile pictures are of me. It feels like a bunch of me’s talking back: It’s weird. Especially when it’s pictures I’ve never seen or don’t remember.”

What she’s nervous about: “I don’t even want to put out that energy. People don’t need to know what I’m nervous about.”

How she works in the studio: “If I was already dressed up and cute, that’d produce a different vibe — but for the most part I like to be really comfortable. I need inspiration around me, too, so I’ll have stacks of money sitting next to the mic. Or I have a bunch of stickers of, like, boobs and butts, stuff like that. They’re drawings, though — I don’t just have porn in my studio.”

How it’s gotten easier since making her EP: “When I was working on [2023’s] ‘Like ..?,’ I was stressed out because I had no idea how the next song was going to come out. Each time, I was like, ‘How am I going to make another song that’s good?’ But then it happened, and then it happened again and again so, after that, I was like, ‘OK, making music is really fun.’ As long as I’m having fun, it’s going to sound fun — and I’m going to be happy with it.” — J.A.R.

Production: Resin Projects. Makeup: Karina Milan at the Wall Group

Katigbak, photographed at Lincoln Center Theater in Manhattan on Feb. 2, 2024.

Jennifer Livingston

Name: Mia Katigbak Profession: Actress and co-founder of NAATCO Age: 69

Debuting in: Lincoln Center Theater’s revival of Anton Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya” (1899), opening this month.

What she’s excited about: “My character, Marina [the central family’s maid], infantilizes everyone. Everything is falling apart around her, but she’s like, ‘Aren’t the old ways better?’ There are a lot of possibilities in that — without getting too metaphorical about the state of Russia, politically and socially.” 

What she’s nervous about: “There’s always going to be that common nervousness of ‘I’m going to mess up,’ but somebody brought to my attention that NAATCO [the National Asian American Theatre Company, which was founded in 1989] has done quite a lot of Chekhov; I didn’t even realize it, and I chose all of them. What I find fabulous about Chekhov is that there are sad situations but also human comedy. You have to find the funny if you’re in dire straits, otherwise you’ll slit your wrists.”

How she feels about having her Broadway debut after five decades on the New York stage: “You live long enough, [expletive] happens. I’d kind of figured, ‘Maybe I’m not Broadway material.’ Usually, when Asians get cast, it’s a musical, and I’m not a singer-dancer, so it was never necessarily going to be a goal. I’m a little bit more realistic: I recently got a text [with a photo of the ‘Uncle Vanya’ ad] from a colleague who said, ‘Look at Miss Fancy Pants,’ and I’m like, ‘I’m just a working stiff.’”

How she reinterprets classics: “From the get-go, the point of NAATCO was to ask people to open their vistas in terms of ‘how, what, by whom, for whom’ in theater. We tackled the Western classics first — William Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1600) and Thornton Wilder’s ‘Our Town’ (1938) — and my only caveat was not to change them to Asian settings. I remember the first couple of years, maybe decades, people always used to ask, ‘Oh, you’re doing Shakespeare! Are you going to set it in Japan?’ Which isn’t bad, but it’s not the only way to do it. Reception was mixed; there was criticism from both Asian and non-Asian audiences. When we started to do new work — with Michael Golamco’s ‘Cowboy Versus Samurai’ in 2005 — it became a redefinition of what immigrant stories were. Most of the time, the work’s thought of as only one thing, so that was something to figure out. But you can say that about all good theater: It’s asking you to receive something in a different way.” — J.A.R.

Smith, photographed at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance in the London suburb of Twickenham on Feb. 14, 2024.

Andrea Urbez

Name: Arielle Smith Profession: Choreographer Age: 27

Debuting in: A reimagined “Carmen,” based on the French writer Prosper Mérimée’s 1845 novella about a Roma woman in southern Spain, which Smith has set instead in Cuba for the version (of the same name) she’s choreographing that premieres at San Francisco Ballet this month.

What she’s excited about: “As a performer, I trained in classical ballet but then went into contemporary dance — the reason I fell out of love with ballet was that the female roles didn’t feel empowering. Not that I needed to be empowered all the time, but every story was dictated by the relationship a woman has to a man. So when Tamara [Rojo, the company’s artistic director] approached me, my first thought was, ‘How could we justify another “Carmen”?’ I wondered how the story would change if one of her lovers was a woman. Musically it’s also not the same — we’ve got a new score from the Mexican Cuban composer Arturo O’Farrill [departing from the French composer Georges Bizet’s 1875 opera], so it’s quite a leap from where it was birthed.”

What she’s nervous about: “I don’t see the point in telling a story again the same way, so that’s one element I’m not nervous about ... but I’m about everything else. The challenge is trying to tell an intimate story in a big space. To make this piece well, it has to move people in some way, and that’s what I’m anxious to get across — for people to feel something.”

How she’s translating the Spanish-set story to Cuba: “Bizet wasn’t Spanish, [so] I thought it’d be more interesting to mainly hear Cuban sounds. I’m Cuban; Tamara’s Spanish; and [the Uruguayan fashion designer] Gabriela Hearst is our costume designer. It’s a full Latinx team, but we’re all different. And this is a universal story that’s not driven by geography. It’s not set on a certain road in Havana but in the soul of these people. I’m not trying to overly examine Cuba. It’s about who I am, as a person who happens to be Cuban, and what my voice contributes.” — J.A.R.

Photo assistant: Callum Su

Pidgeon, photographed at Playwrights Horizons in Manhattan on March 10, 2024.

Sean Donnola

Name: Sarah Pidgeon Profession: Actor Age: 27

Debuting in: “Stereophonic,” a new play by David Adjmi with music by Will Butler (formerly of the indie-rock band Arcade Fire), which transfers to Broadway this month following a run at Playwrights Horizons, where it premiered last fall — that production was Pidgeon’s New York stage debut.

What she’s excited about: “This story [about a fictional band’s interpersonal struggles while recording an album in the 1970s] talks about relationships and what one has to sacrifice to make art. New York’s full of artists, and I’m excited to hear what types of conversations people have after seeing the show.”

What she’s nervous about: “The transition to the Golden Theatre. Singing’s so vulnerable. It’s one thing to mess up in front of 200 people, another to mess up in front of four times that many. Off Broadway, we’d have instruments [accidentally] break down halfway through a scene, and we’d have to figure out how to make it feel authentic.”

How she created her character, Diana, one of the band’s lead singers: “Diana’s not looking to other people to give her an example — she’s not following some blueprint. Her band’s waiting for her to make that next great song, and she gets commodified really fast. I can’t say the same for myself, but I’m [also not dealing with being] a woman in [rock in] the 1970s.”

How she settled into the three-hour play’s slowed-down, naturalistic rhythms: “Our director, Daniel Aukin, kept talking about a documentary feel. I think the design of the play — of hearing overlapping conversations — is [very] fly-on-the-wall. Because of its realism, it can evoke the feeling of a film. There’s this sense that it’s not necessarily a performance when we’re doing these shows; it’s not showy. It’s this thrill of being able to keep things private while also recognizing there’re people in the audience two feet away from you. As an actor, you really feel the tension.” — J.A.R.

Hair: Tsuki at Streeters. Makeup: Monica Alvarez at See Management

Olujobi (third from left), at the Public Theater in Manhattan on March 9, 2024, along with (from left) the “Jordans” actor Naomi Lorrain, the director Whitney White and the actors Brontë England-Nelson, Kate Walsh, Ryan Spahn, Toby Onwumere, Meg Steedle, Matthew Russell and Brian Muller.

Video by David Chow

Name: Ife Olujobi Profession: Playwright Age: 29

Debuting in: “Jordans,” her first fully staged production, opening this month at New York’s Public Theater under the direction of Whitney White. The play is about a 20-something woman named Jordan (Naomi Lorrain), the only Black employee at a creative studio, whose office life is upended when her boss hires another Jordan (Toby Onwumere), who’s also Black, to be the company’s director of culture. 

What she’s excited about: “For a while, this was that play everybody thought was great but nobody wanted to produce. I thought it’d just be a thing that ends up on the page: It’s such a crazy, visual play that lives in this imaginative space, with a lot of production elements. I’m excited to bring that to life — and have it be people’s introduction to me.”

What she’s nervous about: “Making a play that feels current — in the sense that I started writing it in 2018, did the first reading in 2019 and now we’re in 2024. The play addresses the idea of bringing people of color into a [professional] situation as a trend, not out of any genuine interest in them. It has to do with quote-unquote diversity in the workplace, and it feels like we’ve gone through three different cycles of that conversation since I started writing it. I’m trying to synthesize everything that we’ve been through in the past six years but not feel like I’m shaping the play to respond to these fluctuations.”

How she found her way to playwriting: “I was in the Public’s Emerging Writers Group in 2018, which was my introduction to theater. I was never a theater kid; film was my first love — I’d worked at the Criterion Collection during school and done my thesis in screenwriting. When I graduated [from New York University], I [only] wrote a play to get into the [playwriting] group. I had this experience of being fired three times in a row [after] graduation and felt like I had to express something about being the only Black person entering professional spaces.”

How the play’s surrealist tone came to be: “The main character gets coffee poured on her face in the first scene. For me, that was a big breaking open of the play: ‘This is the kind of world that she’s living in. What else can happen in this world?’ It has what we might call surreal elements, but I don’t always think about it that way because, within this play, everything is real. It’s not a dream.” — J.A.R.

Photo assistant: Serena Nappa. Digital tech: Zachary Smith. Production: Shay Johnson Studio

Kim, photographed at his restaurant, Noksu, in Manhattan on Jan. 15, 2024.

Daniel Terna

Name: Dae Kim Profession: Chef Age: 28

Debuting in: Noksu, the 14-seat tasting counter he’s run since last October below ground in Manhattan’s Herald Square, where he serves Korean-inflected dishes, including grilled mackerel with brown butter and squab with gochujang agrodolce.

What he’s excited about: “I had a feeling, during the pandemic, that something might change — like everyone had to start [again] from zero. Even three-star sous-chefs changed careers: They’ve stopped working in restaurants; they’re selling truffles or doing kitchen shows or TikToks. There was a gap, and I thought if I played up my Asian heritage and my French cooking background, someone would be looking for that. Then I met [the restaurant’s] owners, and they offered me this space in a Koreatown subway station.”

What he’s nervous about: “With restaurants, you prove yourself every day. There’s no tomorrow, no next week. I knew I had to have a tasting menu: I have a personal goal — I’m not telling anyone what it is — and, to reach that level, I think it can only be a tasting menu. I’m not enjoying cooking that much; it’s not a passion. This is my career. I don’t cook at home but, if I think about that goal, it makes me come to the restaurant.”

What he took from working at the New York restaurants Per Se and Silver Apricot: “I really thought, ‘What kind of person am I? What kind of cook? What’s my individualism?’ Working in fine dining is such an honor, but it’s their food. It’s not me. I started focusing on food that would represent who I was.”

How he’s handling everyone’s dietary restrictions: “Right now, we don’t accommodate, because we’re a small kitchen. But sometimes they can push you: If a guest can’t eat dairy, how do you make that sauce creamy without using milk? It requires more work, more thought, more team effort. It’s happened a couple of times, and we just freestyle.” — J.A.R.

Tyla wears an Alexander McQueen jacket $5,990, and shorts, $1,690, alexandermcqueen.com; and Prada shoes, $1,120, prada.com. Photographed at Issue Studio in Los Angeles on March 16, 2024.

Photograph by Shikeith. Styled by Sasha Kelly

Name: Tyla Profession: Singer-songwriter Age: 22

Debuting in: Her first full-length album, “Tyla,” released last month. It’s the product of more than two years of collaboration with writers and producers from around the world — and her first time traveling outside of South Africa (she grew up in Johannesburg). Together, they refined her sound, which she describes as “music that people can dance to: Afrobeats, pop, R&B and amapiano,” the last of which is syncopated electronic music that originated in South Africa in the 2010s.

What she’s excited about: “My first tour. My creative director, Thato Nzimande, and I have been speaking about this forever. I have Coachella coming up and, after sitting for so long with this music and all these ideas, I’m excited to see people’s reactions.”

What she’s nervous about: “I used to be very nervous about performing because all of this is very new and, once something’s on the internet, it’s saved forever. I don’t want to look at it years from now and be cringing . I’m a perfectionist but, as an artist, you’re never going to be happy with everything all the time. That’s something I had to learn — how to let go.”

How she synthesizes South African and American influences: “I love the sound of amapiano production, with the log drum and the shakers and the drops. But I’ve also always wanted to be a chart-topper like Michael Jackson and Britney Spears and now SZA, except I wanted to do it with my sound [her first hit, “Water,” debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 in October]. Obviously, people believe, ‘Oh, I have to make just pop.’ But that’s boring to me. I want to sell what I know and love.”

Why South African music has global appeal: “People say they can feel it, and that’s cool because we feel it. It’s very spiritual to us; it’s a genre we feel in our bodies. All these amapiano dance moves that everyone does, it’s not even dancers that come up with these moves — it’s just random people, drunk uncles in the corners of clubs. It’s organic, and I think people are looking for that genuine vibe.” — E.L.

Production: Shay Johnson Studio. Hair: Christina “Tina” Trammell. Makeup: Jamal Scott for YSL Beauty

Peck (near center, in a black shirt), photographed at the Park Avenue Armory in Manhattan on Feb. 27, 2024, along with (top row, from left) the “Illinoise” musicians Kathy Halvorson and Jessica Tsang, the dancer Craig Salstein, the musician Brett Parnell, the dancers Byron Tittle and Christine Flores, the musician Kyra Sims, the dancer Robbie Fairchild, the musician Daniel Freedman, the vocalist Shara Nova, the music arranger and orchestrator Timo Andres and the music director Nathan Koci; (middle row, from left) the vocalist Elijah Lyons, the dancer Ahmad Simmons, the vocalist Tasha Viets-VanLear, the dancers Ricky Ubeda and Kara Chan, the writer Jackie Sibblies Drury and the associate music director Sean Peter Forte; (bottom row, from left) the musician Domenica Fossati and the dancers Jeanette Delgado, Ben Cook, Alejandro Vargas and Rachel Lockhart.

Video by Jason Schmidt

Name: Justin Peck Profession: Director and choreographer Age: 36

Debuting in: “Illinoise,” the first stage musical he’s directing, which opens this month on Broadway after a run last month at the Park Avenue Armory. Based on the singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens’s 2005 indie-folk album, “Illinois,” the show was also conceived and choreographed by Peck, who collaborated on its narrative with the playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury.

What he’s excited about: “The ‘Illinois’ song cycle [in which every track relates to the Midwestern state] is one of the great albums of the last 20 years: [Sufjan] didn’t have a recording studio; he’d find a musician up in [New York’s] Washington Heights and record a violin part without realizing what it was going to be part of — he’d run all over, assembling [bits]. I’ve had a long collaboration with him [Peck has based six ballets on Stevens’s music, beginning with “Year of the Rabbit” for New York City Ballet in 2012], so it feels full circle, having discovered that album as a teenager.”

What he’s nervous about: “It’s not a conventional musical; it lives between genres. It’s framed as a gathering around a campfire, being intoxicated by the heat … a campfire beckons storytelling. We enter into the worlds of these people sharing stories on an evening in the wilderness. That’s a difficult thing for managing audience expectations. One of the most challenging parts is trying to tell a full story without words. There are lyrics, but even the lyrics have a sense of poetry to them. They’re not literal.”

How he brought on board his collaborator Jackie Sibblies Drury: “Sufjan was involved early in developing the musical arrangements but has been relatively hands-off [since being diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, an autoimmune disorder, last year] and wasn’t in a place where he wanted to go back to that time in his life. I needed a storytelling partner. Jackie told me how much she loved the album; when she moved to Chicago, she and her then boyfriend listened to it on the road there. A lot of these songs resonated with both of us at a coming-of-age time in our lives, and that’s part of our approach: intimate and personal.” — J.A.R.

Production: Shay Johnson Studio. Photo assistants: Shinobu Mochizuki, Tom Rauner. Digital tech: Kyle Knodell

Stella, photographed at Percy Priest Lake Park in Nashville on March 7, 2024.

Stacy Kranitz

Name: Maisy Stella Profession: Actress and singer Age: 20

Debuting in: “My Old Ass,” a coming-of-age comedy in which her character, Elliott, a young woman leaving her small Canadian hometown for college, meets her 39-year-old self, played by Aubrey Plaza, while tripping on mushrooms. In theaters this August, it’s Stella’s first movie — and her first acting project since spending much of the past decade on the TV series “Nashville” (2012-18), in which she played a country star’s singer daughter.

What she’s excited about: “Being reintroduced in a way that feels true to me. I was a baby when ‘Nashville’ started; it’s hard to have people see you as a character for so many years. You have to be careful with the next thing you do, especially after you take a break [to finish high school], and I wanted to be represented in a way that felt genuine and pushed me in the direction I wanted to go. I thought a project like this would come 10 years down the line, if ever.”

What she’s nervous about: “I think I confuse anticipation with anxiety. I just feel general anticipation all the time, whether it’s about a date this weekend or this movie coming out; it’s that feeling that something’s about to happen. In my body, I might confuse it with nerves, but there are happy and cozy feelings, as well, so it levels out.”

How she collaborated with the writer-director Megan Park on her dialogue: “I watch a lot of young adult shows and think, ‘Oh my God, we sound so dumb. We don’t talk like that.’ Not everything’s abbreviated and slang. Megan [who’s 37] knows how to write for Gen Z because she includes us in her process. She doesn’t have an ego and molds her characters to who’s playing them. We’d do scripted takes and then ‘fun runs,’ where we got to improv, and she’d add lines in the moment.”

What was it like creating the template for Plaza’s character: “You’d think Aubrey would’ve come first, but I was the first one attached to the film. In any other situation, it’d be me matching her, but I feel like Elliott is very similar to me so, when Aubrey and I met, I could feel her filming me with her eyes, trying to get a scope.” — J.A.R.

Hair and makeup: Laura Godwin

Lakota-Lynch (bottom row, in a white T-shirt), photographed at Open Jar Studios in Manhattan on Feb. 26, 2024, along with (top row, from left) the “Outsiders” composer Zach Chance, the choreographers Rick and Jeff Kuperman and the writer and composer Justin Levine; (middle row, from left) the actors Brent Comer, Jason Schmidt, Joshua Boone, Kevin William Paul and Dan Berry; (bottom row, from left) the actors Emma Pittman and Brody Grant, the director Danya Taymor, the writer Adam Rapp and the actor Daryl Tofa.

Justin French

Name: Sky Lakota-Lynch Profession: Actor Age: 32

Debuting in: “The Outsiders,” a new musical that opened this month and is based on S.E. Hinton’s 1967 novel about rival teen gangs. Lakota-Lynch plays Johnny Cade, a shy 16-year-old from an abusive home. He appeared in “Dear Evan Hansen” in 2018, but this is his first time originating a role on Broadway.

What he’s excited about: “I’ve been with the show for six years, and it finally feels fully baked. People are going to be expecting us to come out tap-dancing, but you have [the writer] Adam Rapp and [the director] Danya Taymor, and those people have never done a musical. It’s the ultimate place for an actor-singer. It’s truly a play with music [by Zach Chance and Jonathan Clay of the folk duo Jamestown Revival, and the songwriter Justin Levine], and I think it’s going to shock people.”

What he’s nervous about: “It’s going to be sad to eventually let Johnny go. I’m doing this on Broadway, but it’s like the period at the end of the sentence.”

The actor sings a snippet of James Taylor’s 1970 song “Fire and Rain.”

Video by Jordan Taylor Fuller

How he’s approaching playing a beloved character: “Johnny doesn’t have a lot of lines: He’s like an Edward Scissorhands [type] — I have to fill the space with energy. The cool thing about playing the character is that I got to imbue him with myself. I’m Native American and Black, and the story is set in Tulsa, Okla., where that’s [not uncommon]. My costume has Native American embroidery; my version of Johnny feels fully fleshed out. Of course, I stole things from Ralph [Macchio, who played the role in the 1983 Francis Ford Coppola film] and from the novel — it’s that fine line between tough and tender, but it’s tailored to me.” — J.A.R.

Production: Shay Johnson Studio. Photo assistant: Shen Williams-Cohen

Becoming a Character

The comedian and actress Meg Stalter, photographed at Smashbox Studios in Los Angeles on Jan. 24, 2024, tests a few moods in front of the camera.

Photographs by Shikeith. Styled by Delphine Danhier

The comedian and actress Meg Stalter, 33, started gaining attention on social media during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdowns when she posted absurd short-form videos playing different personae, like a Disney World team leader conducting an employee orientation. The following year, she had her TV debut on HBO’s “Hacks” as Kayla, a less than helpful assistant to a talent agent. Now she’s filming her first lead role on the new Netflix series “Too Much,” written and directed by Lena Dunham (and loosely based on Dunham’s life), in which she plays the workaholic Jessica, who responds to a breakup by moving to London.

I took so many improv classes when I first [was] doing comedy. It’s the starting point for me when I develop characters. During the pandemic, I’d do improv on Instagram Live every night. The theme would be “We’re going to Paris” or “We’re doing a women’s exercise class.” It was just me doing improv online by myself for hours. When I take on a role, I study the script and imagine if I had to improv a scene. “What would I add or take away? How’s this person different from me? What could I give to the character of my own personality?”

When I read the part of Kayla, I’d already met Paul [W. Downs, a co-creator of “Hacks”] at a stand-up show. [I found out later that] he had me in mind when he wrote the script. That was almost more nerve-racking: It was strange to think, “What if I lose this part to someone else but they were thinking of me in the first place?”

Kayla started as the assistant who comes in and says a crazy line. But in the third season of “Hacks,” she has more emotional scenes, which add another layer: When a character experiences a range of emotions, it makes the crazy stuff even funnier.

The comedian and actress tells a knock-knock joke.

At first when you get a script, you picture yourself in it and think, “Oh, well, she probably looks like me.” That changes the more you get to know the character. Lena [Dunham]’s been so open to talking through Jessica. She’ll say, “Tell me what you think about the hair,” and, “Tell me if there’re any outfits you don’t like.” She even made a playlist Jessica would listen to. There’s Avril Lavigne, Girlpool, Sabrina Carpenter. When I’m studying the script, I’ll play that in the background. Jessica’s into the dreamy side of London and Jane Austen. She’s a little girlie and wears a lot of pink. She wears [nightgowns] as actual dresses and things that’re a little bit too cute for work. I sent [the costume designer] Arielle [Cooper-Lethem] some dresses from Fashion Brand Company. They look like [they could be in an Austen adaptation] but modern and sexier. Like shirts with ribbons all over or matching sets made of lace. Everything’s kind of funny but also hot. It’s stuff I would’ve worn when I thought I was straight. I feel like Jessica’s the straight version of me.

It’s interesting to be playing a version of someone whose work I’ve admired for so long. I’ve rewatched [Dunham’s 2012-17 HBO series] “Girls” so many times. To have everything she’s written in my head but be told, “Just do it the way that you would do,” or, “This is all yours now,” it feels freeing. There’re some directors and writers who want you to say exactly what’s on paper.

When you’re in character in front of a camera, there’re certain things you can’t prepare for. I can research so much for a part — create memories for the character, talk through costume — but if it comes out differently [than what I imagined], that’s OK. It’s important to be able to let go and let the scene be what it is. Some people torture themselves after performing. They’re like, “I should’ve said this or that.” I really don’t do that. Once it’s out there, that’s what it’s supposed to be.

Stalter wears, from start: Versace dress, $1,990, versace.com ; and Alexander McQueen ring, $690, alexandermcqueen.com . Versace dress and headband, $325. Wray shirt, $185, wray.nyc ; Dolce & Gabbana dress, $2,095, dolcegabbana.com ; and Sophie Buhai earrings, $395, ssense.com .

Production: Resin Projects. Hair: Tiago Goya. Makeup: Holly Silius. Manicure: Pilar Lafargue

Making a Painting

The artist Roberto Gil de Montes, photographed at his studio in La Peñita, Mexico, on Feb. 13, 2024, painting “Man With Lizard Mask.”

Photographs by Nuria Lagarde

Since 2005, the painter Roberto Gil de Montes, 73, has lived and worked in the fishing village of La Peñita de Jaltemba north of Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific coast of Mexico. He was born in Guadalajara but moved as a teenager to Los Angeles, where he was active in the Chicano art movement. It wasn’t until he took part in the 2020 show “Siembra” at the gallery Kurimanzutto in Mexico City, though, that the art world took notice of his dreamlike Surrealist works. Next year, Gil de Montes will be the subject of a career survey at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

I live in a place where there’re no museums or galleries. I’m inspired by my surroundings — by the jungle, by the ocean. I often say there’s no better background than the ocean for painting. I have two studios: one at home, where I work on paper, and a painting studio in town near the ocean. Usually, I start at home on paper. I either sketch or use watercolor wash. If I’m going to do an oil painting, I go to the studio in town. Before I work, I might just sit around and look at books — I like [monographs about Henri] Matisse, [Paul] Cezanne, [Edouard] Manet. It’s sort of a meditation. A lot of times, an idea surges when I’m working on something already; other times, it might be a memory. Or a dream. The other day, I had a dream that I was taking a photo with my phone of a house on fire — but I was conscious that the house was a drawing. [When I woke up] I thought, “Well, I should do a painting of that.”

I’m very intrigued by how memory works and how the memory of something can trigger [a new idea]. [While putting together the career survey] I’ve revisited all of these old works of mine. Some I remember painting. Others I don’t remember at all. I’m 73 years old. I forget things, and then I start thinking, “Wow, this is interesting because if I’m working from memory and forgetting things, how’s that going to affect the work that I do? How can I explore that?” For instance, somebody sent me a painting they said was mine. I said, “No, I didn’t do that painting. I’m sorry,” only to find out that I’d signed the back. A lot of the ideas I’ve been working on come from the past. In the [2022] Venice Biennale, I had a painting [“Up,” 2021] of somebody hanging upside down or falling through the sky. That came [about] when I walked into the studio and noticed I had inadvertently put a painting upside down. I said, “Actually, that’ll make a good painting upside down.” I don’t know how other artists work. I’m very open to ideas.

Reimagining a Retrospective

The conceptual artist Jenny Holzer, photographed at her studio in upstate New York on Feb. 6, 2024, with LED text from her series “Survival” (1983-85), which will be on view at her exhibition at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum from May through September.

In 1989, the conceptual artist Jenny Holzer installed an LED scroll of aphorisms — “Abuse of power comes as no surprise” is among the most famous — on three of the six internal ramps of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. It was part of her retrospective “Untitled (Selections From Truisms, Inflammatory Essays, the Living Series, the Survival Series, Under a Rock, Laments and Child Text).” Next month, Holzer, 73, will restage the work there as part of her show “Jenny Holzer: Light Line” (which will also include other pieces from her 50-plus-year career). But this time, the LED installation — which will display the original “Truisms” and other text series — will go all the way to the top.

I’m a self-loathing, slow study so [ahead of the 1989 retrospective at the Guggenheim] I had to walk and walk around and around and around the museum. It finally occurred to me, “Oh, around and around is the answer [to how the piece should be displayed].” I’m relieved I attended to what Frank Lloyd Wright did: The building is magnificently, utterly self-sufficient. It doesn’t necessarily need art, and it’s inclined to shrug it off at times.

As I was developing the new exhibition, I started walking the museum again — and not just the ramps. I went up and down the stairs a few thousand times. I went in the elevator, in assorted bathrooms, in nooks and crannies. And in those places, I put everything from the first diagrams I made in the ’70s on up to icky paintings made by A.I.

The conceptual artist discusses a sculpture by the artist Louise Bourgeois.

Video by Joshua Charow

If I have a specialty, and I’m not certain that I do, it’s installation. I like hunting and seeing. The first step is to go blank, with no preconceptions. And then, since it is visual art, using my eyes to see. Then that mysterious thing happens: Ideas come — when you’re lucky. Otherwise, you try again.

When I’m just trying to make a new artwork for anywhere, it’s adequate to lie on the couch with my eyes closed and wait for that pizza to arrive — the “art” pizza. But when I’m [fortunate enough] to be in a building like Wright’s Guggenheim, it’s — surprise, surprise — necessary for the body to be in the space. Alert, alive, all tentacles reaching out, all senses going. And on some level, being hopeful.

Photo assistant: Ece Yavuz

Adapting an Ibsen Play

For the second time, the playwright Amy Herzog, 45, has adapted a work by Henrik Ibsen. The first was “A Doll’s House” (1879), starring Jessica Chastain. Herzog’s latest staging, “An Enemy of the People” (1882), stars Jeremy Strong as Dr. Thomas Stockmann, a physician who is shunned for warning his town that its lucrative public baths are contaminated. Michael Imperioli plays his brother, Peter Stockmann, the mayor, who seeks to suppress Thomas’s findings.

When I begin an adaptation, I first read a few different translations of the play. Then I try to get those out of my head. For “A Doll’s House” and now “An Enemy of the People,” I’ve worked with a translator named Charlotte Barslund. She does a literal translation in English, which stays as close to the feeling and meaning of the original Norwegian as possible. I go through that line by line, translating it into my own words without making any big decisions. Once I have my first version, I start the bigger work of cutting. For “An Enemy of the People,” we cut three characters. I decided to cut the character of Katherine, Thomas Stockmann’s wife, after a lot of conversations with Sam [Gold, the play’s director and Herzog’s husband]. Her sections weren’t working; they were feeling really turgid. There’re sections that his daughter, Petra [played by Victoria Pedretti], could pick up if Katherine was gone.

What was remarkable about cutting Katherine was realizing how little had to change. The fact that you didn’t have to do major surgery on the play was one tell that cutting Katherine was a good idea. It gives Stockmann this recent terrible grief. It’s a particular grief when you’re a doctor, I think, to lose a spouse — to be the doctor who can’t save your loved ones. That spring loads the play as it begins: He’s reaching a place where he can have happiness again — [only] to be completely betrayed by his community and to lose everything he’s finally gained.

Ibsen wrote domestic psychological plays and social plays. “A Doll’s House” is the former and “An Enemy of the People” the latter. [When adapting “A Doll’s House”] I learned some pretty basic things about the mechanics of making it feel leaner and more modern. But other than that, it was shockingly different to translate them and humbling that he had plays that were so totally different inside of him. This play is bigger and rangier and even more relevant than “A Doll’s House.” It’s very timely — there’re a few headlines it brings up. One is climate change. I was reading a lot about scientists who weren’t listened to when they tried to sound the alarm years ago. I was also reading Naomi Klein’s [2023 memoir] “Doppelganger” and thinking about the way the body politic becomes sick. I try to do a lot of research before writing — I read a fair amount of Ibsen biographies — so there’s no single influence that’s too loud while I’m working. When I’m really doing the translation, I need quiet and cloistering. So there’d be gaps in my communication with [Jeremy] and everyone else. Then there’d be the moments, after reading a draft, when it was time to talk and become porous again.

Jeremy was the reason for the production. From the moment I began to work on “An Enemy of the People,” I knew who was playing Thomas Stockmann. I’ve known Jeremy since 1997, and I’ve seen a ton of his work, so his voice was influencing the way I adapted that character.

[Jeremy and Dr. Stockmann] are similar in that they both have a total commitment to what they believe in. Having someone in my life with that kind of devotion to his craft and to his storytelling means that I’m coming to [the character] with the texture of a real, contemporary person. Every few days, he sends me a poem or an article or something that’s meant something to him related to the play. He sent me the William Butler Yeats poem “A Coat.” The first three lines are “I made my song a coat / Covered with embroideries / Out of old mythologies.” There’s this incidental line in Ibsen’s original [script] that people often cut — but I didn’t, I love it — when Captain Horster [Dr. Stockmann’s loyal friend] makes his first entrance before you even see Dr. Stockmann, who says, “Hang your coat on that peg. Oh, you don’t wear an overcoat?” Captain Horster is this character who has no pretense and is an uncorrupted type of human. And Ibsen has him coatless at the beginning. So the idea of a coat and what it is to cover yourself has become an interesting thematic touch point for us.

Putting Up a Gallery Show

Since graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1999, the visual artist Joe Bradley, 49, has made a habit of reinvention. His style continuously shifts, from mixed-media sculptures to line drawings to highly saturated large-scale canvases. His most recent exhibition of paintings opens this month at David Zwirner gallery in New York.

I tend to arrive at my studio [in Long Island City, Queens] around nine, turn the lights on, make a pot of coffee. Then, depending on what sort of stage the paintings are at, I’ll just start working. If it’s early on [in the piece], I’m much more active. When the paintings [begin] to come together, it’s a lot more about just looking and making little decisions to resolve things. I don’t have a real ritual. I don’t even have to be in any particular state of mind. If I’m distracted or depressed or happy or whatever, I just come in and see what happens.

I do begin with some practical decisions. I know how big the painting is going to be and what sort of surface I’m going to be working on. I know what the contour of [a show] will look like. I don’t make any sort of preparatory sketches — the paintings reveal themselves to me through the process of working on them. But the deadline [for the show] ends up being this organizing force. It’s the day your entire year revolves around, the time [by which] you know the paintings will have to be presentable and cohesive. It’s helpful to have that because, otherwise, you could keep things up in the air indefinitely.

When I paint today, I might be responding to a mark on the canvas that I made six weeks or six months ago. What I’m doing early in the process isn’t going to be available visually by the end — most of it’ll be painted out or it’ll disappear in the process. I lay traps or create little problems for myself to encounter. It’s almost like the uglier it gets in the early stages, the better the painting will be.

Building an Installation

The artist Suzanne Jackson, photographed at her Savannah, Ga., studio on Feb. 1, 2024, works on a piece that will eventually be installed on a terrace at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Kendrick Brinson

The Savannah, Ga.-based artist Suzanne Jackson, 80, has worked as a dancer, a set and costume designer, a professor and a poet — but most notably as a painter. Jackson describes her ethereal compositions as “anti-canvases,” which she creates by building up layers of acrylic paint and at times found materials, including netting and produce bags. In 2025, she’ll display a selection of work from her six-decade career, along with a new site-specific installation, as part of a retrospective at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

I’m working on a commission for the fourth-floor terrace of [SFMoMA]. It’s an installation that’ll climb the walls of the terrace and partially fill the open space. My approach is quite different than if I were working on a painting in my studio: I have to think of it in an architectural or sculptural sense. There’re technical aspects, so I’ve been doing a lot of research in airports and from airplane windows, looking at large-scale structures that don’t fall down — things on the rooftops of buildings like windsocks or poles. This piece will be built from the ground up, unlike my other work that hangs from the walls or ceiling.

I don’t go looking for ideas. I just go into the studio and start painting. Now that I’m older and not teaching, I don’t have to do anything except paint. In the morning, I roam around the house. I do the laundry. I feed the cats. I look out the window and stare at nature. I have a big window at the end of my kitchen and can see tall trees and birds and animals and insects. I go through the studio to get to the kitchen from my bedroom, so sometimes I end up stopping and looking at work I’ve already done. There’s a lot of sitting and thinking and looking. Sometimes, I’ll turn on music — Charles Mingus and Eric Dolphy or Yo-Yo Ma. On Mondays and Fridays, it’s [the Savannah radio D.J. and jazz historian] Ike Carter’s show “Impressions.”

As the music flows, so does the paint — that’s a spiritual environment to be in. Other times, I’ll work in absolute silence. At the beginning, I explore. I’m never quite sure what’s going to happen. Usually, it comes spontaneously. One brushstroke leads to the next, and then it becomes another idea. I might think I have one idea when I start, but it often changes along the way to be something completely opposite. I’m just having a good time being a painter. That’s how I started, and it’s how I’m going to end.

Photo assistant: Dayna Anderson

Lorraine O’Grady,

89, new york city.

The multidisciplinary artist and critic, whose solo show at Mariane Ibrahim gallery in Chicago opens this month.

Lorraine O’Grady’s “Announcement Card 2 (Spike With Sword, Fighting)” (2020).

© Lorraine O’Grady/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, courtesy of Mariane Ibrahim, Chicago, Paris, Mexico City

I thought I was going to be a writer. My family tells me that I made my first poem when I was a year and a half old: “I like mice because they’re nice.” [In my early 30s, after working for five years] as an intelligence analyst, I went to the Iowa Writers’ Workshop for fiction. I hadn’t really been reading fiction, though, so I wasn’t very good at writing it. I spent most of my second year there translating short stories written by my instructor [the Chilean novelist] José Donoso.

Growing up, I had all these exposures to beauty. I’d gone to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston as a child and seen [Paul] Gauguin’s “Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?,” a painting that continues to influence me. And my mother was a dress designer. She redid our house every six months. By the time I was 10, I basically had everything that I’m now working with in place, but I didn’t have the language. I didn’t get that language until the early 1970s, when I read [the critic and curator] Lucy Lippard’s “Six Years: The Dematerialization of the Art Object From 1966 to 1972.” [Then] I was ready. The ideas for my visual art already existed within my experience. I just hadn’t known they were art before.

A few years later, when I was in my early 40s, I had to have a biopsy of my breast. After — thank God, it was negative for cancer — I was thinking about what I could give my doctor as a thank-you present. Reading my copy of the Sunday New York Times, I saw a line in the sports pages about Julius Erving that said, “The doctor is operating again.” I said, “OK, this could be the start of something,” and I made a really good poem for my doctor [out of words clipped from the newspaper]. But when I finished the poem, I said, “This is too good to give to him.” Then I immediately started making newspaper poems for a project called “Cutting Out The New York Times.” I made one every week for 26 weeks. When I finished, I realized that I’d become a visual artist — or revealed that I was a visual artist. — interview by J.C.

Toni Morrison,

The author of 11 novels, including “Beloved,” “Sula” and “Song of Solomon.”

By the time Toni Morrison wrote “Beloved” (1987), her best-known novel, she’d worked for nearly two decades as a book editor. Her debut, “The Bluest Eye” (1970), was published when she was 39 and, while not a commercial success, was critically praised. She published three more books between 1973 and 1981 — including “Song of Solomon” — while still at her editing job.

Prior to going into publishing, Morrison — who had a master’s degree in American literature from Cornell University — spent nearly a decade teaching college English. After her divorce, she worked for a textbook division of Random House before joining Random House proper as its first Black female editor; there, she championed and published Black authors such as Angela Davis, June Jordan, Gayl Jones and Toni Cade Bambara. “I didn’t go to anything. I didn’t join anything,” she once said about the civil rights movement. “But I could make sure there was a published record of those who did march and did put themselves on the line.” All the while, Morrison was waking by dawn to write before heading into the office. She’d later describe those sessions as a form of liberation: “The writing was the real freedom because nobody told me what to do there. That was my world and my imagination. And all my life it’s been that way.”

For many years, Morrison considered her day job essential to her art. “I thrive on the urgency that doing more than one thing provides,” she once said. But the industry had its difficulties — the overwhelming whiteness, the increasing commercial demands — and she left her position in 1983. Four years later, at age 56, she published “Beloved.” In a preface to the 2004 edition of the book, she looks back on the rush of feelings she experienced following her last day at the job. “I was happy, free in a way I had never been, ever. It was the oddest sensation. Not ecstasy, not satisfaction, not a surfeit of pleasure or accomplishment. It was a purer delight, a rogue anticipation with certainty. Enter ‘Beloved.’”

65, New York City

The multidisciplinary artist and former drag performer, whose paintings are currently on view at the Dallas Contemporary art space and the MassArt Art Museum in Boston.

A 2023 acrylic on canvas by Tabboo! titled “Lavender Garden.”

My mother put me into an art class when I was 15 at the Worcester Art Museum, and then I went on to art school [at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design], where I majored in painting and fine art. I remember my first sale, to my aunt Julie. She wanted me to copy [Jean-François] Millet’s “The Gleaners.” I didn’t want to copy someone else’s stuff — I think one of the reasons I’m popular is that I’m very original — but I still did the painting, of course. It was a commission and I was being paid!

I started performing drag in nightclubs when I moved to New York in 1982, but I’ve always been painting, too. This isn’t something I just came up with, like, “Oh, I can’t get on ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’ I better start painting.” I had one-man shows and gallery exhibitions right after graduating from art school. Elton John and Gianni Versace bought my paintings. I don’t want anyone to have the impression — which certain people seem to — that I took up painting just because I stopped doing drag. I might be getting a bit more attention for it now, but I’ve always been doing it.

I usually get up at four in the morning. I feed my cat and then start painting. A lot of my paintings are sunrises. And I do sunsets and cityscapes. Or if it rains in a weird way, I’ll do a rain painting. It’s a very spiritual, meditative, private thing. There isn’t a day that goes by that I haven’t done something, and so my work gets better and better and better. And I must say, I’m a master of my craft now.

Sometimes a collector will ask, “Can we come over to the studio and watch you paint?” I tell them no. I usually do it naked. — interview by J.C.

Justin Vivian Bond,

60, new york city and the hudson valley, n.y..

The performer and multidisciplinary artist, whose work has been exhibited at Participant Inc. and the New Museum in New York City, and will be on view at Bill Arning Exhibitions in Kinderhook, N.Y., in May.

Justin Vivian Bond’s watercolor “Witch Eyes, by Viv, to Protect You From Evil Chodes: Lois” (2024).

When I was in high school, I was interested in visual art as well as music and acting, but I decided to major in theater in college because I thought it was a career that could get me out of Maryland and allow me to move to New York. I became a performer, and I’ve been doing cabaret for many years. In 2008, when I broke up my cabaret act Kiki and Herb, my rent was so cheap that I didn’t have to work as much. I started painting again, and it flows very naturally for me.

My watercolors are primarily portraits of people I know. I’ll ask them to pose for a photograph and then paint from that. I also make pseudo fan art, like my “Witch Eyes” series, which is based on iconic photographs of celebrities’ eyes. The wonderful thing about painting is that you have total control over it, if you’re lucky. Onstage, there’re so many variables. And with painting, you don’t have to be there [when people see your work]. I love being in front of an audience, but I don’t really love being among people. The pleasure for me is singing but, when the show’s over, I have to talk to a lot of people. I like all of them, but there’re too many, so it can be a little overwhelming. You don’t ever get to connect on a deeper level. The most satisfying times in my life have been when my shows have been installed and it’s the night before the opening. All of it’s exactly how I want it — the room, the lighting — and I just sit there and look and have this sense of utter satisfaction. — interview by J.C.

Wallace Stevens,

The poet, whose best known works include “The Emperor of Ice-Cream,” “The Snow Man” and “Anecdote of the Jar.”

Wallace Stevens never quit his day job. Though he had literary ambitions as a young man, serving as the editor of the Harvard Advocate as an undergraduate, he earned his degree from New York Law School and in 1916 joined the Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company, where he remained, specializing in surety and fidelity claims, until his death, in 1955. Yet he was writing all the time: on his daily walk to work, at home in the evenings and sometimes in the office.

It wasn’t until 1914, when Stevens was 34, that his first post-college poems appeared in literary journals. He went on to publish seven volumes of poetry over the course of his lifetime. The first, “Harmonium,” released in 1923, sold fewer than 100 copies; the last, 1954’s “The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens,” won the Pulitzer Prize.

The themes of Stevens’s work — the affirming power of art and beauty, the sublime contained within the mundane — suggest one reason why he stuck with insurance law even as his artistic acclaim grew. His steady paycheck would have allowed writing to remain a purely creative act. In his essay “Surety and Fidelity Claims,” Stevens says of his insurance work, “You sign a lot of drafts. You see surprisingly few people. ... You don’t even see the country; you see law offices and hotel rooms.” Poetry, on the other hand — as he characterizes it in 1923’s “Of Modern Poetry” — “must be the finding of a satisfaction.” It was his livelihood, in the most artistic sense of the word.

Theaster Gates,

50, chicago.

The University of Chicago professor and multidisciplinary artist, whose solo shows at the Gagosian gallery in Le Bourget, France, and the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo open this month.

Theaster Gates’s sculptural work “Sweet Sanctuary, Your Embrace” (2023).

© Theaster Gates. Photo: © White Cube

In 2000, I took a job as the arts planner at the Chicago Transit Authority. There was so much new construction happening there, and my role was to appeal to the Federal Transit Administration for a portion of the transit money to be set aside for public art. In a way, it was like an M.B.A.: I managed $26 million over four or five years. My negotiating skills went through the roof.

I’d graduated from Iowa State [in 1995] with a degree in community and regional planning and then did a [post-baccalaureate] in religious studies and fine art at the University of Cape Town. After that, I spent time in Japan studying ceramics. So when I came to the C.T.A., my background incorporated both art and community and, every day, I was leaving there and going to my ceramics studio.

In 2005, I left the C.T.A. because I outgrew the position, and I stopped making pots because I couldn’t afford my studio. I started using more recycled materials in my work [such as wood pallets]. It was during this period that I was starting to combine my knowledge of minimalism and conceptual practices with my background in building and working with my dad, who was a roofer. Now buildings have kind of become my primary monuments, and the project management and team building that I learned at the C.T.A. are really evident in the way that I create.

I did a project at the New Museum [that opened in late 2022 and] was essentially an exhibition about mourning and loss. My father had died six months prior to the opening, and I didn’t have time to mourn his death or the deaths of dear friends like [the fashion designer] Virgil Abloh, my mentor [the Nigerian curator and art critic] Okwui Enwezor, [the author] bell hooks and [the film scholar] Robert Bird. The show grew out of a desire to grapple with my feelings and honor these people. The museum didn’t necessarily have the budget to do all of the things that I wanted to, so I had to figure out, “Are there poetic ways to articulate loss that don’t require substantial build-out, or big, fancy gestures or expensive audio equipment?”

Ultimately, I included Bird’s 9,500-volume library, and Virgil Abloh’s widow loaned me his yellow diamond-studded necklace. Those were moments when limitations built new friendships and more nuanced opportunities, and I feel like having been a planner’s what made me willing to pick up the phone and say, “Hey, would you be willing to collaborate with me?” — interview by J.C.

Remember That You’re Never Truly Equipped to Start Anything

As actors, we feel like we have to be ready, but I’d say you’re never ready. You’re not prepared for something you’ve never done before, so let go of that. This past year I did some symphony gigs for the first time, and it was incredible. It was better than being ready, because I just had to be new. — Ali Stroker, 36, actress and singer

Myha’la in season one of “Industry,” 2020.

Amanda Searle/HBO

Embrace Fear — but Come Prepared

I have the curse of perfectionism, and there’ve been so many projects where I’ve said, “I’m not right for that, so I’m not going to audition.” But that’s kind of lazy, so I’ve rewired my thinking: If something’s targeting some insecurity in me, why not take the opportunity to work on that thing? I used to avoid anything with an accent but now, if I got the call for “Bridgerton,” I’d feel confident enough to go for it. Definitely do your homework, though. With almost every trading scene in “Industry,” I’ve thought, “Nope, I’m not going to be able to get the words out.” I don’t sleep the night before, and I’m wrecked the next morning. Then everything pours out because I’ve come in prepared. Filming the first season of “Industry” in 2019 was the first time I’d been on a job longer than five days, the first time I’d worked out of the country, the first everything, and I was so nervous. Go toward things that scare you. — Myha’la, 28, actor  

Make Yourself Start

Deciding what’s a good idea is an ongoing battle. But you can only think about something for so long before you just have to try it. Someone once told me that when he makes a painting he likes, he’ll make another one with the same idea to see if it holds up and then another, which I thought was pretty good advice. Sometimes I force myself to go to my studio and start painting [Gordon initially set out to be a visual artist and started focusing more on her art practice about 25 years ago], even if I don’t have an idea. I like conceptual thinking, but I also like the physicality of painting. Usually that leads me to something and, even if it doesn’t — what am I going to do, sit around and watch movies all day? — Kim Gordon, 70, musician and visual artist

Put Yourself in Your Body — and Your Past

Sometimes painting can feel like this dream I have where I’m in the back of a moving car and I’m reaching over to the front seat to try to get control. That’s a nervous system in panic. There’s a grounding exercise I like to do where I jump and really feel my feet smack the floor — trying to get yourself back into your body’s part of the trick. And then I go, “Well, who’s dreaming?” If you can get there, you’re lucid in the dream, and that’s a good place to be. Still, feelings will come up that you don’t want. When I was working on this satyr painting, suddenly the satyr was my old friend Chris, who betrayed me when I was 18 to a group of guys who beat me up. I thought, “Why am I painting Chris? I don’t want to paint Chris.” I was in flow for a while but, when I hit this painting, I experienced self-doubt and thought, “People are going to think these paintings are awful.” Then I went on Instagram and liked one of his pictures. It felt like a weird, brave task. And he wrote to me and asked if he could call me, 26 years after ghosting me, and he apologized for 20 minutes. I cried and I think he probably cried, and I felt it all melt away. And then I went back to the painting. — TM Davy, 43, artist

Kim Gordon in 1990.

Laura Levine/Corbis via Getty Images

Psych Yourself Out

If things are too hard, something’s wrong, but you also have to embrace the awkward feelings. See if you can fool yourself — I used to get self-conscious about drawing when I was a teenager in an art class with a model, and the teacher said, “Don’t think of it as drawing. Think of it as designing the page.” That really loosened things up for me. It’s amazing what you can do if you pretend. — Kim Gordon

When people say they’re self-taught, it means they asked somebody else how they did it. When I began in folk music, I went to the clubs and I begged and borrowed and asked. [More recently, having taken up painting acrylics a little over a decade ago,] I was painting [Anthony] Fauci and couldn’t figure out how to do his glasses. I called an artist friend and she had all these tricks — “Don’t try to copy the photograph,” she told me, “just use dabs of paint here and there to give the impression of glass.” It didn’t take more than 45 minutes to learn how to put glasses on Fauci. Without her, I would’ve struggled for weeks trying to get it right. — Joan Baez, 83, singer-songwriter, activist, painter and author

Don’t Sweat the End — and Work on More Than One Thing at Once

Remember that the maker almost never knows exactly what they’re making in advance. The great works often appear when we’re aiming toward something completely different. Start as soon as you see a way in. I [also] find it helpful to work on multiple things at the same time. Not in the same moment but during the same general time period. The beauty is that different projects are at different stages, so you can avoid getting burned out on any one [thing]. We can step away, work on something else and come back with new eyes, as if we’re seeing it for the first time. Tunnel vision’s easy to fall into when working on a single project for a long period. We can end up getting lost in details nobody else will ever notice, while losing touch with the grand gesture of the work. — Rick Rubin, 61, music producer and author of “The Creative Act: A Way of Being”

Murray Hill in 1996.

Catherine McGann/Getty Images

Treat Procrastination as Productivity

There were certain things I couldn’t do during the [SAG-AFTRA] strike, but I did get a book deal. It’s called “Showbiz! My Unexpected Life as a Middle-Aged Man,” and I’ve got to get that done — by June 1st! I’m used to being onstage. When I’m sitting at my desk in my studio apartment, I procrastinate quite a bit, and I’m always asking myself, “Is this part of the creative process for me, or am I just making my life harder?” But I also procrastinate in productive ways. I go for a walk — in rehab, they taught us, “Move a muscle, change a thought.” Then I come back and put on jazz music. Doing that removes the blocks, probably because jazz is so much about improvisation and I’m at my core an improviser. Another thing I’ll do to light the match is turn to others’ work. I’ll watch Dean Martin videos or a documentary or old game shows. For this memoir, I’ve been reading memoirs by other people — Gary Gulman, Viola Davis, Maria Bamford, Leslie Jones, Aparna Nancherla — and not only does that awaken my creative senses, it triggers memories. — Murray Hill, 52, comedian, actor and writer

Be Comfortable With Discomfort

There was a time when [my] body was always ready, and when I had so many axes to grind and windmills to chase [that] something would come out. Now I can’t just depend on my body being there — that I’m going to bust a move and seduce — so I have to be a little more strategic: “What’s the idea? Does it serve anyone other than you?” I’m trying to reaffirm for myself that what I have left in me to say is worth saying. Doubt is always with us, and it burns like fire. But if I refuse to give up the mantle of being a creative artist, I’ve got to do something. [You might say] “Well, why don’t you just love a child? Why don’t you go work at a soup kitchen down the street?” Because I’m a self-involved son of a bitch. Procrastination says, “I don’t dare,” but can you live with yourself if you don’t? So how do you start? Terror. Guilt. Fear. All negatives to this generation of young people who don’t ever want to be uncomfortable, but the generation that formed me and my own generation had that feeling that you’re being pushed against and you’ve got to push back, because you’re not like them. As Martha Graham said to Agnes de Mille, “There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.” I’ve got to believe that about myself, and the evidence is what I dare to do. — Bill T. Jones, 72, choreographer, director and dancer

If Your Work Goes Up in Flames, Don’t Fetishize the Ashes

One thing that eases the prospect of getting started is remembering that not everything you make needs to be for consumption or even to count as art. I recently spent nine months quietly making these works — mineral paint on cement slabs — and ended up throwing them all away because I decided they were too conventional. You’re not married to your old self, either. In 2013, there was an electrical fire at the studio I’d just moved into, and the building burned to the ground. I lost cartons of negatives and proof sheets that were over six feet tall, as well as photographs — stuff I’d made five, seven, 10, 15 years prior. Of course, it was traumatic and terrifying, but it was also freeing. Eventually I realized it was an opportunity for me to draw a line and stop making a certain kind of work. As artists, we think, “I got known for this type of thing,” or, “This is what everybody seems to like of mine.” A part of me felt, “I have to rebuild this person,” and then I thought, “Well, I don’t,” and I started something else. It was actually one of the most fruitful periods of my creative life. — Anthony Pearson, 55, painter, sculptor and photographer

Joan Baez in 1974.

David Redfern/Redferns via Getty Images

Practice Some Denial

When I was working on “Diamonds & Rust” (1975), I was at a low point of my career and I made a decision that I was going to concentrate on music and quit globe-trotting for different issues. I realized that the music needed my time and attention if it was going to be any good. Learning to live with the state of the world’s a daily practice. Everything we do, we do against the backdrop of global warming and fascism. I never dreamed I’d live in a world this chaotic and discouraging, and I’m overwhelmed but I’m also a great believer in denial — I think that’s where you have to be in order to create, or have fun or dance — providing that we set aside a certain amount of time to come out of denial and actually do something to help. — Joan Baez

Reject Fear. And Put Your Ego to Bed.

Last year, I went through what medical professionals would call a flop era. I’d had three years of the kind of lovely, psychotic busyness that has you hopping from job to job, just following green lights, but then everything went poof — the show I was working on got canceled; the financing for the film adaptation of my novel fell through. I’d been working on such personal things regarding sex and disability and, when those things ended or weren’t [well] received, I began to doubt myself. But then, you’re combating panic, and I started thinking really awful thoughts like, “Do I need to write a pilot where there’s a dead body?” Fear is the most poisonous thing to creativity. You can’t force it, and you have to listen to the work — it’ll tell you what it needs to be. Look at me getting all woo-woo, but it’s true. When you make a living off of writing, not every single project’s going to be from the depths of your soul, but I think there should always be some level of enjoyment. Starting over is really humbling, by the way. Knowing when to stop and when to start over requires giving your ego an Ambien. Real failure is letting your ego drive the bus of your life right off the cliff. — Ryan O’Connell, 37, writer and actor

Alice McDermott, 70, writer

There are three kinds of novels I’ve never taken to heart: science fiction, murder mysteries and novels about novelists. So I’ve decided to try my hand at each. If I fail, they’re probably not books I’d want to read anyway.

Thurston Moore, 65, musician and author

I’m putting the final touches on a new album, “Flow Critical Lucidity.” But after my memoir, “Sonic Life” (2023), came out, I realized my next mission was a novella, the working title of which is “Boomerang and Parsnip.” It concerns two madly in love youths in the wilds of Lower Manhattan circa 1981, and it’s wholly irreal, bordering on fantasy.

Courtesy of Samuel Delany

Samuel R. Delany, 82, writer

I’m writing a guidebook for a set of tarot cards I designed with the artist Lissanne Lake.

Susan Cianciolo, 54, visual artist

I’m preparing a solo exhibition that will open at Bridget Donahue gallery next month, so I’m making new works and curating older ones. It’ll definitely feature a book of my watercolor tree paintings, “Tell Me When You Hear My Heart Stop.”

Jenny Offill, 55, writer

I’m planning to start a band called Spacecrone. (I’ve stolen the name from a book of Ursula K. Le Guin essays.) It’ll be all female and 55-plus. Our faces will be made up like Ziggy Stardust, but we’ll wear sensible clothes and shoes. What’s kept me from starting it is that I can’t sing or play any instruments.

Alex Eagle, 40, creative director

We’re finessing our bag collection, which we’re trying to make as luxurious, but also as practical, as possible. And I’m planning to write a cookbook with my son Jack.

Jim Bennett/Wire Image, via Getty Images

Earl Sweatshirt, 30, rapper and producer

Making more music — it’s the one thing I always find myself coming back to, though every time I do, I have to overcome intense feelings of self-doubt. I also want to try stand-up, but I’m scared because there’s no music to hide behind. I don’t want dogs-playing-poker laughs, either. You know the [paintings] of dogs playing cards? Like, “Oh, it’s a rapper doing stand-up.”

Alex Da Corte, 43, visual artist

I’ve been writing an opera for some years now based on Marisol Escobar’s [assemblage] “The Party” (1965-66). It’s set at a time when the sun only shines for one day a year, and the players at the party are all wondering how to move forward while holding on to their pasts.

Danny Kaplan, 40, designer

While clay has been my faithful medium for years, I’ve lately been fueled to broaden the scope of my craft by embracing — and learning how to push the boundaries of — new materials like wood, metal and glass.

Kengo Kuma, 69, architect

Getting out of [Tokyo]. I’m doing my best to reduce the burden on big cities — I think humankind has reached a limit when it comes to congestion — and I’ve recently opened five satellite offices in places like Hokkaido and Okinawa.

Raul Lopez, 39, fashion designer, Luar

The thing I’m always meaning to restart is my video blog “Rags to Riches: Dining With the Fabbest Bitches,” an exploration of how food, fashion, music and art all connect.

Charles Burnett, 80, filmmaker

Right now I’m involved in the development of two films. The first, “Edwin’s Wedding,” is the story of two cousins, separated by the Namibian armed struggle with South Africa, who are both planning their weddings. The second, “Dark City,” also set in Namibia, is more of an emotional roller coaster about betrayal and vengeance told in the Hitchcockian mold.

Ludovic Nkoth, 29, visual artist

I’m looking to experiment outside the confines of the canvas — sculpture and video have always been lingering in the back of my head.

Elena Velez, 29, fashion designer

I want to start a series of salons to bring together great minds across multiple disciplines, while feeding the subculture that my work draws from.

Daniel Clowes, 63, cartoonist

I’ve always had the desire to do fakes of artworks I admire — to figure out how they were done, and so I could have otherwise unaffordable artwork hanging in my living room. Painting [with oil] is as frustrating and exhilarating as I remember it being when I was in art school 43 years ago, and my paintings look alarmingly not unlike the ones I did at 19.

Piero Lissoni, 67, architect and designer

I’ve started the design for several new buildings that will become government offices in Budapest. I’d like to start designing chairs, lights, skyscrapers, spacecraft. In truth, I’d like to start doing everything again.

Peter Paul Rubens’s “The Massacre of the Innocents” (circa 1610), Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto

Robert Longo, 71, visual artist

I’ve been struggling to figure out how best to make sense of the overwhelming images in the news, so I’m turning to the past. I’m working on two monumental charcoal drawings based on paintings [about war]: Peter Paul Rubens’s “The Massacre of the Innocents” (circa 1610) and Francisco de Goya’s “The Third of May 1808” (1814).

Gabriel Hendifar, 42, designer

I’m moving into a new apartment by myself after a series of long relationships. I’m excited to challenge my own ideas about how I want to live and to see how that affects the work of my design studio [Apparatus] as we begin our next collection.

Donna Huanca, 43, visual artist

I’m working on two solo exhibitions. One will be in a late 15th-century palazzo with underground vaulted rooms in Florence, Italy; the other in a modern white cube in Riga, Latvia. For years, I’ve tailored works to the architecture of their exhibition spaces, so I’m enjoying working within this duality.

Satoshi Kuwata, 40, fashion designer, Setchu

We’re about to start offering shoes. I’ve thought of the design. Now I just have to go to the factory and see them in real life.

Aaron Aujla, 38, and Ben Bloomstein, 36, designers, Green River Project

We’re starting a new collection of furniture based on offcuts from the studio that are finished with a modified piano lacquer. Hopefully, a suite of these pieces will be ready for exhibition by fall. We also have a commission we’re excited to start — a large sculptural fireplace made from three unique logs of rare wood.

Adrianne Lenker, 32, musician, Big Thief

I want to start learning how to paint. The few times I’ve tried it, I loved it but also felt daunted by all I needed to learn. I often think of my songs in terms of paintings. My grandmother Diane Lee’s an amazing watercolorist. Recently she gave me a lesson all about gray.

Melissa Cody’s “Power Up” (2023), courtesy of the artist and Garth Greenan Gallery, New York

Melissa Cody, 41, textile artist

I’m starting to create wall tapestries that incorporate my pre-existing designs, which were handwoven on a traditional Navajo/Diné loom, but these new works are highly detailed sampler compositions made on a digital Jacquard loom.

Josh Kline, 44, multidisciplinary artist

I’m working toward shooting my first feature film — a movie, not a project for the art world.

Sally Breer, 36, interior decorator

My husband and I have started building some structures on a property we own in upstate New York — he has a construction company in Los Angeles. We’re using locally sourced wood and are 80 percent done with a studio-guesthouse, a simple 14-by-18-foot box set on foundation screws, tucked into a pine forest. This is the first time we’re really working together as a design-build team. He’s started referring to it as our “art project.”

Eddie Martinez, 47, visual artist

I’m restarting a group of large-scale paintings for an exhibition at the Parrish Art Museum [in Water Mill, N.Y.] this summer. They’re each 12 feet tall and based on a drawing of a butterfly. The series is called “Bufly” since that’s how my son, Arthur, mispronounced “butterfly” when he was younger. I’d put the paintings aside while I finished my work for the Venice Biennale. Now I’m locked in the studio, painting like a nut!

Karin Dreijer, a.k.a. Fever Ray, 49, singer-songwriter

I’ve been thinking about learning to play the drums. They’ve always felt like a bit of a mystery to me.

Eric N. Mack, 36, visual artist

I’m starting to recharge in order to begin my next body of work. I journal, read, explore the Criterion Channel and get deep-tissue massages. I keep wishing I’d organize the fabrics in my studio.

Jenni Kayne, 41, fashion designer

We’re starting the next iteration of the Jenni Kayne Ranch [the brand’s former property in Santa Ynez, Calif., where she’d invite guests for yoga, dining and spa experiences], only this time we’re heading to upstate New York. We’re calling it the Jenni Kayne Farmhouse, and it’ll include a self-care sanctuary where slow living is a genuine ritual.

Christine Sun Kim, 43, multidisciplinary artist

I have a bit of an adverse reaction to people doing American Sign Language interpretations of popular songs on social media — they’re usually based entirely on the lyrics in English, when rhyming works differently in ASL. So I’ve been wanting to make a fully native ASL “music” video. One day.

Ellia Park, 40, restaurateur

I’ve started collaborating with the in-house designer at Atomix, one of the restaurants I run with my husband, Junghyun Park, on custom welcome cards for the guests that feature bespoke artwork.

Awol Erizku, 35, visual artist

Awol Erizku’s “Pharrell, SSENSE” (2021), from "Awol Erizku: Mystic Parallax" (Aperture, 2023), courtesy of the artist

I’m focused on my exhibition “Mystic Parallax,” opening in May in Bentonville, Ark. [which will include concerts and portraits of such people as Solange and Pharrell Williams]. What I never seem to get around to is archiving all of my negatives in the studio.

Jeremiah Brent, 39, interior designer

As I navigate the [effect of the] ever-so-saturated interior design algorithm, I’m challenging our team to expand the language we speak, diversifying design references by looking to the unexpected: playwrights, films, historians and science.

Vincent Van Duysen, 61, architect

I’m focusing on the 90th anniversary of [the Italian furniture company] Molteni & C. I’m also excited about our recent addition to the family — a black-and-tan dachshund called Vesta after the virgin goddess of the hearth and home.

Kwame Onwuachi, 34, chef

I’m working on launching a sparkling-water line — the proceeds of which will help bring clean water wells to African countries — and starting to write my third cookbook. I start everything I think of.

Larissa FastHorse, 52, playwright and choreographer

I’m adapting a beloved American musical — I can’t say which — into a TV series. Which is scary because, even though I just adapted “Peter Pan” for the stage, the TV process is the opposite: Instead of cutting down a three-hour musical, I have to add hours and hours of content. So it feels like beginning over and over again.

Peter Halley, 70, visual artist

I’ve started to paint watercolors. Now that I’ve reached 70, I thought it was about time. The images are arranged in a grid like on a comic book page, but the narrative’s asynchronous. They’re based on images of one of my cells exploding, an obsession I’ve had going all the way back to the ’80s.

Darren Bader, 46, conceptual artist

I want to start an art gallery called Post-Artist that regularly shows art but refuses to name who made it. No social media presence. I also want to do what Harmony Korine is doing, except with none of that content.

Jeff Tweedy, 56, musician, Wilco

I’m about to record an album of new music with my solo band, which isn’t really solo at all. I’m bringing my sons and the close friends and quasi family who’ve been playing with me live for the past 10 years or so into the studio. I’ve written songs that feel like they can be a vessel for all of our voices together: a miniature choir. There’s really no experience that compares to singing with other people. I think it tells us something about how to be in the world.

Charles Yu, 48, writer

I’m about to start promoting the “Interior Chinatown” series [based on Yu’s 2020 novel]. I’d like to get into music and service. My son’s a drummer, and he’s awakened some latent impulse in me. And my daughter and wife have been volunteering. I’m not exactly sure what’s been keeping me from either. I could say work, but I suspect the actual answer is nothing.

Elyanna, 22, singer-songwriter

I’d love to improve my Spanish. I visit my family in Chile at least once a year and, every time I fly back to L.A., I realize that I need to keep practicing.

Boots Riley, 53, filmmaker and musician

I’m getting ready to start filming a feature I wrote about a group of professional female shoplifters who find a device called a situational accelerator that heightens the conflict of anything they shoot it at. I also have a sci-fi adventure: a janky, lo-fi epic space funk opera. My dream is to use the same crew and shoot the two movies back to back in Oakland, Calif. [where I live]. That’s one thing about being 53 — I want to be able to spend more time with my kids.

Damien Maloney/The New York Times

Sable Elyse Smith, 37, visual artist

I’ve recently embarked on an operatic project. Yikes! MoMA invited me to make a sound piece that’ll open in July, and it’ll be a kind of prelude to a larger version. It’s titled “If You Unfolded Us.” It’s a queer love story and a coming-of-age story about two Black women.

Satoshi Kondo, 39, fashion designer, Issey Miyake

My latest experiment with washi , or traditional Japanese paper, is blending fibers extracted from the remaining fabrics of past clothing collections with the pulp mixture from which washi is made. It’s a way of playing with color and texture.

Laila Gohar, 35, chef and artist

Almost all of my work has used food as a medium and has therefore been ephemeral. Making work that isn’t — namely, sculptures — is an idea I’ve been toying with for a while, but I haven’t been able to jump into it yet. I once read something an artist said about how she thought male artists are more concerned with legacy than female artists, and that female artists are more comfortable creating ephemeral work. This rang true for me, but now I feel slightly more confident about making things that might outlive me.

Patricia Urquiola, 62, architect and designer

I was nominated [last year] as a member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid, so now I’m writing the acceptance thesis, or discurso de ingreso . It’s an occasion to reflect on ideas — for example, I reread the philosopher Bruno Latour, who argues that design “is never a process that begins from scratch: To design is always to redesign.”

Luke Meier, 48, and Lucie Meier, 42, fashion designers, Jil Sander

We’ve started making some objects — glass and ceramics. We aren’t at all experienced in these fields, so it’s invigorating to play again.

Kevin Baker/Courtesy of Number 9 Films.

Marianne Elliott, 57, director

I’ve always wanted to do a film, but it requires so much time and theater is a hungry beast, so it’s eluded me until now: “The Salt Path,” starring Gillian Anderson, is based on a true story about a remarkable English couple [who embark on a 630-mile hike].

Samuel D. Hunter, 42, playwright

Last year, I was approached by Joe Mantello and Laurie Metcalf, who wanted someone to write a play for Joe to direct and Laurie to star in. I’d never met either of them but, if I had to pick one actor on earth to write a role for, it would be Laurie. “Little Bear Ridge Road,” a dark comedy about an estranged aunt and nephew who are forcibly reunited after the passing of a troubled family member, will go into rehearsals in May.

Thebe Magugu, 30, fashion designer

When I was 16, I began writing a novel, taking place between the small South African towns of Kimberley and Kuruman, that I’ve contributed to every year since. It currently sits as a huge slab of a book — around 80,000 words — and I’ve been meaning to rewrite and polish the earlier chapters. I’ve given myself the next 10 years [to finish the project]. It’ll be a gift I give to myself when I turn 40.

Misha Kahn, 34, designer and sculptor

I have an idea for this toothpaste project called Zaaams that’s expanded, of its own volition, into an entire cinematic universe. Sometimes an idea can grow so big that it’s unmanageable and nearly unstartable. Sometimes I’ll really start working on it, but I get overwhelmed by the seismic rift in society it would cause and feel dizzy. Crest, if you’re reading this, call me.

Nell Irvin Painter, 81, visual artist and writer

I’m way too old to be a beginner. I’m 81 and have already written and published a million (OK, 10) books. But a very different kind of project’s been tugging at me: something like an autobiographical Photoshop document with layers from different phases of my life in the 1960s and ’70s — spent in France, Ghana, the American South. I’d have to be myself at different ages.

Courtesy of Nell Irvin Painter

Sharon Van Etten, 43, singer-songwriter

In 2020, I became familiar with the work of Susan Burton, the founder of A New Way of Life, which provides formerly incarcerated women with the care and community they need to get their lives back on track, and was so moved by her story I asked my record label if it was OK to use money from my music video budget to produce a minidocumentary on the organization, “Home to Me.” I still have a lot to learn about filmmaking, but I think it’s the beginning of something beautiful.

Piet Oudolf, 79, garden designer

I’m starting the planting design for Calder Gardens, a new center dedicated to the work of the artist Alexander Calder in Philadelphia. I’m working on it with Herzog & de Meuron architects, and it’ll include a four-season garden that will evolve with the months. Early in the year, it’s about ephemerals (bulbs). Spring is when woodland flowers are important. Summer will be the high point of the prairie-inspired areas, and in fall and winter there’ll be seed heads and skeletons. I think a good, harmonious garden is like a piece of living art.

Rafael de Cárdenas, 49, designer

As a consummate shopper, I’ve always thought the best way to bring my interests together would be with a store — a lab for testing things out and creating a connoisseurship in the process. I’m thinking Over Our Heads (the second iteration of Edna’s Edibles in [the 1979-88 sitcom] “The Facts of Life”) meets Think Big! (a now-closed shop in SoHo) meets [the London gallery] Anthony d’Offay meets [the defunct clothing store] Charivari meets [the old nightclub] Palladium.

Gaetano Pesce, 84, architect and designer

I’m working on a possible collaboration with a jewelry company from Italy. I can’t say the name yet, but the pieces stand to be very innovative. Also, another collaboration with the perfume company Amouage inspired by time I spent in Oman’s Wadi Dawkah and the beautiful frankincense trees there.

John Cale, 82, musician and composer

Ever since I played viola in the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, I’ve been hypnotized by the thought of the discipline needed to conduct. My attention soon wandered — from John Cage to rock music. Now, 60 years on, it’s finally time.

Nona Hendryx, 79, interdisciplinary artist and musician

I’m working on the Dream Machine Experience, a magical 3-D environment that’ll be filled with music, sound, images and gamelike features. It’ll premiere at Lincoln Center this June. [My idea was] to create an imaginative world inspired by Afro-Futurism that encourages a wide, multigenerational audience to share.

Faye Toogood, 47, designer and visual artist

I’d like to develop a jewelry collection, but I haven’t. Is it because no one’s asked — no phone call from Tiffany! — or because I’m struggling to understand how adornment fits into our current world?

Freddie Ross Jr., a.k.a. Big Freedia, 46, musician

I’m recording a kids’ album and publishing a picture book for early readers. Much of my art is about language and the unique colloquialisms that we have in bounce culture. Children respond to its snappy rhymes and phrases.

Danzy Senna, 53, writer

Every time I write a novel, I think, “This is the most masochistic experience I’ve ever had — I’m going to quit this racket.” But I feel incomplete without this depressive object to feel beholden to. I just finished editing one book [“Colored Television”] and have the sinking feeling I’m about to start another.

Jackie Sibblies Drury, 42, playwright

I’m starting, hopefully in earnest, to write a play in collaboration with the director Sarah Benson inspired by action movies. We were intrigued by the problem of trying to put chase scenes or action sequences onstage, where it’s difficult to build momentum or suspense because in theater we have less control over the viewer’s eye, among other things. But hopefully the play will be about what it means to see ourselves in these macho cis men who often get hurt pretending to almost die for our entertainment — or something like that?

Lindsey Adelman, 55, designer

I’m putting together a digital archive of my work and ephemera — about 30 years’ worth — revisiting everything from the sculpture I made as a student at RISD to the paper lights David Weeks and I sold for $25 to datebooks where I scribbled notes about things I wished would come true and then did. I hope it’ll encourage others to start something. I want them to understand, “Oh, this was the first step … this beautiful, finished thing was inspired by a piece of garbage dangling from a streetlamp.”

Elizabeth Diller, 69, architect, Diller Scofidio + Renfro

David Wall/Getty Images

Since 2012, when my studio was doing research for a contemporary staging of Benjamin Britten’s chamber opera of Henry James’s “The Turn of the Screw,” I’ve been meaning to start a book about ghosts. While ghosts are a well-trod literary device, their visual representation on stage and screen also has a rich history that can be told through the lens of an architect. Despite the fact that ghosts transcend the laws of physics, they’re stubbornly site-specific — they live in walls, closets, attics and other marginal domestic settings, and they rarely stray from home.

David Oyelowo, 48, actor

Something that three friends and I are in the process of building and developing is a streaming platform that we launched last year called Mansa. The idea — born out of growing frustration with making things that I love and then having to use some kind of distribution mechanism where the decision makers are almost always people who don’t share my demographic — is Black culture for a global audience. Essentially, we started a tech company that intersects with our love of story and our need to create [pipelines] for people of color and beyond to be seen.

Franklin Sirmans, 55, museum director, Pérez Art Museum Miami

There’s a recurring exhibition that I’ve worked on with [the curator] Trevor Schoonmaker since 2006 called “The Beautiful Game” that consists of art about soccer. We do it every four years because of the World Cup, and I’m starting to get into the 2026 iteration. I’ve also been trying to finish a book of poems since I graduated college more than 30 years ago. But it’s happening. It’s not like you don’t write a good sentence every now and then.

Jamie Nares, 70, multidisciplinary artist

I’ve always loved this line of poetry [from the Irish poet John Anster’s loose translation of Goethe’s “Faust”] that goes, “Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” One thing I’ve begun recently is a revisiting of my 1977 performance “Desirium Probe,” for which I hooked myself up to a TV that the audience couldn’t see, and relayed what was happening onscreen through re-enactment. Now I’m going to do it with YouTube videos chosen at random from the wealth of rubbish and interesting stuff on there. And as a video, because I’m not as agile as I once was.

Joseph Dirand, 50, architect and designer

My firm has just started developing, with a French company called Zephalto, a prototype of the interiors for a hot-air balloon that will take travelers to the stratosphere, and the carbon footprint of the journey will be equivalent to that of the production of a pair of blue jeans. The balloon is transparent, so it’ll be almost as if you’re going up in a bubble of air — riders will see the curve of the earth. We’re designing three private cabins: sexy, organic cocoons that reference the ’60s and the dream of space, but are otherwise pretty minimal. The landscape is the star of the show.

Amaarae, 29, singer-songwriter

I’m working on the deluxe version of my 2023 album, “Fountain Baby.” The approach for the original album was very maximalist — I organized these camps all over the world and had a bunch of people come through to work on the music. Afterward, I felt underwhelmed — not by the project but by how I felt at the end of it all. [So] I stripped back everything so it’s just me and my home setup, trying ideas. Before, I was really lofty, but now my feet are touching grass a little bit.

Jennifer Egan, 61, writer

I’m starting a novel set in late 19th-century New York City. As always with my fiction, I have little idea of what will happen, which lends an element of peril to every project! Time and place are my portal into story, and I’m interested in a time when urban America was crowded and full of buildings we occupy today, yet the landscape beyond seemed almost infinite.

Carla Sozzani, 76, gallerist and retailer

Just as my partner, Kris Ruhs, and I revamped the then-unknown Corso Como area of Milan, we’re now putting our energy into the construction of a new studio for him, as well as the expansion of the Fondazione Sozzani [cultural center], both of which are in Bovisa, another old industrial neighborhood. I wanted to be an architect when I was young, but my father said, “No!”

Stephanie Goto, 47, architect

If my clients allow me to peel one eye away from their commissions, I’d like to dive deeper into the renovation of my own property in Connecticut, which includes the circa 1770 former home of Marilyn Monroe and a tobacco-and-milk barn that will house my studio.

Amalia Ulman, 35, visual artist and filmmaker

I’m beginning to write the script for my third feature film — probably my favorite part of the process, when I just need to close my eyes and see the film in my head. It’s the closest to a holiday because it feels like daydreaming.

Wim Wenders, 78, filmmaker

Several years ago, I started a project about the Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, who, along with others, designed the new Los Angeles County Museum of Art that’s being built now. The working title of the film is “The Secret of Places,” and it’s done in 3-D. My dream is to make a comedy one day. [ Laughs .] Seriously. [ Laughs again .] I’m working on it.

Wendy Red Star’s “Beaver That Stretches” (2023), © Wendy Red Star, courtesy of the artist and Sargents Daughters

Wendy Red Star, 43, visual artist

I’ve started highlighting Crow and Plateau women’s art history by making painted studies of parfleches, these 19th-century rawhide suitcases embellished with geometric designs. I’m learning so much about these women just by their mark making, but have only come across a few that have the name of the person who made it, so I’m titling my works by pulling women’s and girls’ names from the census records for the Crow tribe between 1885 and 1940.

Nick Ozemba, 32, and Felicia Hung, 33, designers, In Common With

Next month, we’re opening Quarters, a concept store and gathering space in TriBeCa that will feature our first furniture collection.

Bobbi Jene Smith, 40, dancer, choreographer and actress

My husband, Or Schraiber, and I are creating a work composed of solos for each dancer of L.A. Dance Project, where we’ve been residents for the past year and a half. We’ve had the unique opportunity to connect deeply with some of the dancers, and this — a gratitude poem for each of them — will be our culminating project. They’ll each be a few minutes long and characterized by physicality set against silence.

Editor’s note: The architect and designer Gaetano Pesce, whose comments are included in this piece, died on April 4 at age 84.

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Claudia Looi

Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow.   Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station  is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station  was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

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